Christmas challenges!

COMPANION

SANGATI Don Bosco Magazine | Province of Panjim (INP)

Oct - Dec 2017 | Volume - 10 | Issue 04

Christmas Challenges !

Piecing You & Me Together for Peace

Christmas When God Visits His People

United We Stand Together We Win

Editorial Editor Joaquim Lobo, sdb Editorial Team Francis Xavier, sdb Jason Pinto, sdb Layout & Cover Design Joaquim Lobo, sdb Consultants Fr Felix Fernandes, sdb (Provincial) Fr Avil Rodrigues, sdb (Vice Provincial) Fr Jose Sequeira, sdb (Economer) Distribution Lazar Vaz Printed at James Arts Crafts, Sivakasi Published by Boskon Communications Don Bosco Provincial House Odxel, Goa University P.O. Goa 403206 Ph : 0832 2451449

Kindly DONATE, details on www.donboscopanjim.com Cheque to Goa Salesian Society or

Sponsor an issue of SANGATI sangatidonbosco@gmail.com

The works of the province are regularly published on the Salesian Konkan website

Our online id www.donboscopanjim.com donboscopanjimprovince donboscoinp@gmail.com

A joyful season of Christmas is here again! Joyful, not because of merriment and sweets - which one can indulge in anytime - that come along with it, but because of the BIRTH OF JESUS. Though Jesus brings us joy, peace and love, he challenges us to love this life, be just to others and to live in harmony. This hopefilled challenge was readily accepted by the early christians.

Today the whole world celebrates Christmas: some without even having any knowledge of the ‘why’ of the Christmas. Every Christmas is a challenge to a Christian to mirror his/her life with the life of Jesus.

The forgiveness of the murderers of the Australian missionary Graham Staines and his two sons Philip and Timothy in Odisha (1999) by his wife Gladys Staines is a wonderful example of a challenge accepted and truthfully lived. The family of Sr Rani Maria, now blessed, forgave her murderer (2002) who was found guilty and imprisoned.

He was released and now lives as a part of their family.

These are outstanding examples of a great Christian life.

In India and all over the world, people are fascinated by the life and values of Jesus. They come together to fight against injustice, to promote peace and harmony. These are ordinary people who revere life as a gift from God, who wish to reach out to those in need, whose only criteria is the good of humanity.

In fact, this should have been the priority of the elected governments of the states and countries of the world. But alas, it is a rarety!

The trolling of the wife of the Chief Minister of Maharashtra on the social media for promoting sharing of gifts with the poor this Christmas is a reminder for every Christian that they have a challenge in front of them to be an example just like that of Jesus.

Wish you a Christfilled Christmas and a Meaningful New Year 2018!

Joaquim Lobo, sdb This is a Salesian Panjim Province Bulletin, and is directed towards the Salesian works in the regions of Sindhudurg, Goa and Karnataka.

For private circulation only.

COVER STORY Fr. Cedric Prakash, SJ

Christmas Challenges!

“Soon it will be Christmas Day!” The melodious and catchy notes of that Jim Reeves favourite, ‘Silver Bells’ could still tug on many a heartstring! The song is all about the hustle and bustle before Christmas; the glitz and glamour; the lights and baubles; the shopping and spending; the smiles and laughter; Santa and children - all this and much more! It is not the only song that captures the ‘mood and spirit’ of the Christmas Season, there are many others too. All rather ‘authentic’ to the magic of the moment.

Drowned however in the cacophony of all this, is the fact that Christmas challenges us to a reality which is very different!

In India today, as in several parts of the world, Christmas has been relegated to another festivity of crass c o m m e r c i a l i z at io n and consumerism.

Oct - Dec 2017

‘Christmas’ is experienced by many in the shops which are festooned and gaudily decorated catering to the throngs who happily splurge on anything and everything. Christmas ‘celebrations’ have become synonymous with Santa Claus and Christmas trees; new clothes and merry-making; eating, drinking and overindulgence. Sadly, all this has nothing to do with the fact that the Child Jesus, the Saviour, was born in a stable to redeem the world!

We are confronted then, with a whole range of challenges, if we truly want to put Christ back into Christmas. We are called to be courageous enough, to live the Christmas spirit not merely for a day or during the Season, but every single day of our lives.

The Challenge the Season The call to

SANGATI

3

Christmas begins in of Advent. repentance

and preparing for the coming of Jesus is so intertwined with human rights. Many Christians do not even realise that. Several of the liturgical readings are taken from the Prophets like Isaiah and Micah, which emphasise that doing what is just, reaching out to the poor and the needy are conditions to prepare for the coming of the Messiah.

John the Baptist as he prepares the people for Jesus provides them with a definite way of proceeding. “What should we do then?” the crowd asked. John answered, “Anyone who has two shirts should share with the one who has none, and anyone who has food should do the same. “Even tax collectors came to be baptized. “Teacher,” they asked, “what should we do?”“Don’t collect any more than you are required to,” he told them. Then some soldiers asked him, “And what should we do?”

He replied, “Don’t extort money and don’t accuse people falsely—be content with your pay.”(Lk 3: 1014) The challenge to reach out to the poor and vulnerable is at the heart of Christmas. Jesus is born poor and vulnerable. We seem to often forget this basic truth of Christmas. He did not have the trappings of power; possessions and privileges. The only little material he might have had at his birth, were perhaps the hay and the swaddling clothes. There was certainly the warmth and love of Mary,

Joseph and the animals. A crib does not have the comforts and security of a palace. When the “good news” of the birth of our Saviour is first given to the shepherds, a powerful message is given to all of humankind. The shepherds represent the sub-alterns of our world today: the dalits, the adivasis, the poor, the minorities, the vulnerable, the exploited, and the marginalized. Jesus reaches out to them and we are challenged to do likewise.

In October 2017, well known Chinese dissident, human rights activist and filmmaker, Ai Weiwei released his powerful documentary film, ‘Human Flow’ about refugees. The film vividly captures the struggles and sufferings of millions trying to flee war, persecution and famine, across the globe. Strangely enough, Christmas is the story of homelessness and of a refugee family. “At that time, the emperor, Caesar Augustus, issued a decree for a census of the whole world to be taken. This first census was taken while Quirinus was governor of Syria” (Lk 2:1-2). So Joseph had to go from Nazareth to Bethlehem, a distance of 111 kms; difficult terrain which they would have walked. Mary ‘was with child’ so after the ordeal of getting themselves registered, Joseph would have looked for some comfort for their child to be born; but the inns were just ‘too crowded’ or the inn-keepers were not willing to take in strangers from elsewhere. They were homeless people.

After the birth of Jesus, the wise men from the East (the Magi) come to worship him; but on their return, they don’t allow themselves to be trapped by wiles of a wicked and murderous King Herod – they just avoid him! Then, “an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Get up, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you;

4 SANGATI

Oct - Dec 2017

for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him.” Then Joseph got up, took the child and his mother by night, and went to Egypt, and remained there until the death of Herod.” (Mt 2:13-14) The distance from Bethlehem to the border of Egypt is about 120 kms. For a senior citizen and his young wife who has just given birth to a child, the journey must have been traumatic.

As they fled that night in a desperate hurry, what did they take as belongings? Were they able to carry sufficient amount of food, water and even clothing for their exile? Did baby Jesus perhaps carry that ‘little toy’ which those poor shepherds gifted him the night he was born?

The thoughts and prayers of Mary and Joseph were surely with the other innocent children who were being massacred by Herod’s army.

“The words of the Prophet Jeremiah were being fulfilled: A cry is heard in Ramah, wailing and loud lamentation: Rachel weeps for her children. She refuses to be comforted, for they are no more.” (Mt 2:17-18) Christmas then comes as a challenge to all to respond to the cries and suffering of the refugees and the others who are forcibly displaced.

Oct - Dec 2017

Innocent men, women and children are forced to flee to more secure locations because of war and persecution. In India thousands of poor people are driven out of their homes, lands and forests by multinationals who profit from megaprojects and other vested interests who have no qualms of plundering natural resources.

Today nearer home, we are confronted with the terrible tragedy of thousands of Rohingyas fleeing Myanmar because of persecution- and literally ‘nowhere’ to go!

Christmas is about building bridges and not walls. The good news is first proclaimed to shepherds; then to the wise men of the East (the unbelievers). From his very birth, Jesus transcends the narrow confines of sectarianism and communalism, of hate and prejudice, of religion, of rites, of ethnicities and nationalities. He is born to ALL. He does not divide. He unites. We live in a world, which has been gripped by hypocrisy, falsehood and fear. We are afraid to challenge those who exploit the poor and the weak. We are afraid to let our light shine. We are afraid to put out our star. Christmas is essentially about truth and fearlessness.

SANGATI

5

The challenge of Christmas is ultimately about ‘being’ and not about ‘having.’ It is the challenge to mainstream peace, hope, joy, love, inclusiveness and justice in the small, simple things of daily life. The challenge to truly celebrate the reality of the birth of Jesus every single day and amongst all women and men of goodwill. The challenges of Christmas are not the prerogative of any particular group of ‘worshippers’ but they are challenges to all of mankind, as the words of that popular Christmas Song, ‘When a Child is born’ remind us: “And all of this happens because the world is waiting,

Waiting for one child Black, white, yellow, no-one knows But a child that will grow up and turn tears to laughter, Hate to love, war to peace and everyone to everyone’s neighbour And misery and suffering will be words to be forgotten, forever.”

Fr Cedric Prakash sj is a human rights activist. He is currently based in Lebanon, engaged with the Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS) in the Middle East on advocacy and communications. He is the recipient of several international and national honours for his work on human rights, justice and peace.

Contact: cedricprakash@gmail.com

6 SANGATI

Oct - Dec 2017

TIME TO WAKE UP Chris Valentino SDB

Piecing You and Me Together

for Peace

Om! Saha navavatu Saha navbhunakthu; Saha veeryam Karavaavahai; Tejasvi navadheetamasthu; Maa vidvishvaavahai; Om! Shanti! Shanti! Shanti!

- This prayer (popularly called the Shanti Patha) of the ancient sages from the Kathopanishad, a plea, a pledge for togetherness, harmony, love, reconciliation and peace, when literally translated reads: Let the Lord Almighty save us together, feed us together. Let us try to attain the wisdom of God together. Let the wisdom we attain be radiant. Let us not hate each other. Let us have peace in all our spheres of life: divine, material and spiritual. Peace!

Peace! Peace!

As we grow closer to each other, connected instantaneously across continents, linked together and networking with one another across the seven seas, in synergy, it is gravely terrifying that the scientific and technological progress is actually ripping us apart, segregating and pitting us against one another. In a world of extensive competitiveness, one-upmanship, unbridled self-promotion and showmanship, each of us wishes to outdo the other, showcase our capabilities and abilities to out-perform the rest and forge ahead. Ironically, this age of technological development and connectivity is on the verge of failing miserably as far as

Oct - Dec 2017

forging human relationships is concerned. In an age where time, energy and resources are concentrated on building up a better world (economically and technologically) we are steadily losing out on reciprocal friendships, concern for each other, respect and tolerance for the other. It wouldn’t be pessimistic to state that we are abysmally content living our own cozy lives with our own little pleasures and interests, leaving the other (our brothers and sisters) to fend for oneself. Each one is worried, deeply concerned and absolutely intent on securing one’s own needs and desires. We are living in an age of escalated violence, turbulence, terrorist outbursts, sporadic killings, calculated eliminations, territorial skirmishes and large-scale war. There is also the eco-politics triggered global warfare involving the rich and the poor, the powerful and the weak, the haves and the have-nots, the opulent and the starving, the tormentor and the victimized, the majority and the minority!

In our own local contexts, in all probability within our neighbourhood itself, amongst proximate friends and relatives we witness so much hatred, angst, jealousy, envy and the urge to dominate and overpower the other.

We are in the midst of societal degradation as

SANGATI

7

never before – the steady growth of endemic evils – ignored thus far and for too long is leading us to despair. However, in the midst of all these happenings and occurrences we carry on pretty peacefully and often times very cheerfully. Despite living and surviving amidst a radioactive powder-keg ready to detonate any instant we blissfully move on with life, thinking only of our own. The dramatic theatrics of hunger and depressive poverty, economic colonization, the multitudinal deluge of refugees, the ever expanding threat to life from newer and emerging maladies, the utter hopelessness of millions of children, the youth deprived of their fundamental rights – abandoned and banished to live on the street, the increasing manufacture of armaments and weaponry, the exploitation and abuse of women, the intolerance and deliberate use of religion as a vehicle for mass violence, illegal drug-trafficking, etc., rarely move us at all, except to be accepted as part of a rallying, sloganeering populace that returns back to its hearth and home once the parade ends! If only, we distance ourselves from the mumbojumbo jingoism of rhetoric that plays out on various media platforms, we will woefully realize that violence is partly an outcome of popularization of prejudices, creations of stereotypical imaging, engineering the collapse of diversity to privilege a particular chosen

negative characteristic of the someone/some community, projecting it as being harmful for social harmony and as a threat to peaceful and harmonious existence. Consequently there is greater discrimination of the particular person/community in all walks of life by state, educational institutions and public life. Fuelled by rumours, this prejudice/bias aggravates and advances sporadic incidences of violence wherein the constant harping of the bias eventually builds up a crescendo of false justification, aided by a propagandist media thereby normalising escalated forms of unabated large scale violence. This is a situation devoid of any sort of love, fellowship, harmony, forgiveness and peace! This is our world today, an actuality that should goad us into action, and an appalling reality that should spur us on to commit ourselves toward working for justice, concord and peace.

The scenario could not have been worse than what it is – it is devastating as it is and will definitely continue to deteriorate – impelling

8 SANGATI

Oct - Dec 2017

us to action, imploring us to rectify and proceed together, immediately without further delay. Is it not our responsibility to become aware, dialogue and identify paths that will lead us to the integral promotion of individuals and society at large? Peace is an attitude, a constant perspective of life where we are invited and urged to be prophets and bridge-builders! Religious freedom, tolerance, respect, education of the younger generations, the proper and intelligently cautious use of the communications media, and more especially the willingness to come together, discuss and dialogue should be our focal point. People living together, working together in their localities, workplaces, and various other places of interaction have to stand up for what is right, just and true; reject vengeance, learn to forgive and initiate love. This is definitely neither a child’s play nor is it a one-night changeover, but surely something that deserves our complete undivided attention and determined perusal.

Yes, there is greater involvement in relief and rehabilitation works, trauma counselors, social activists and other self-sacrificing beacons of hope in a world-torn asunder, yet there is a severe lacuna in the development of a unitybased worldview, which is a pre-requisite for creating both a culture of healing and a culture of peace. The basic understanding of peace as a psychosocial, eco-political, moral and spiritual condition is possible only through a process of comprehensive, integrated, everevolving education to effectively develop a unity-based worldview, through which the expression of peace is a consequential result!

Sadly, there is much

Oct - Dec 2017

more that needs to be done in this regard!

Years ago, the Nobel Poet Laureate Tagore said: “The world of today is wild with the delirium of hatred, the conflicts are cruel and unceasing in anguish, crooked are its paths, tangled its bonds of greed,” indeed an accurate summation of the times we live in! The turnaround, if we so wish and wholeheartedly desire is to piece ourselves together as one – you and me to forge a ‘we’ that will begin in right earnest, with the thousand little acts that promote a culture of peace in our daily routine, beginning in our homes, in our buildings, in our chawls, in our localities, in our schools, in our colleges, in our institutions of learning, in our fast and furious social media sharing to try and give peace a chance, resolving to live in peace recollecting the wisdom of the ancient sages of our motherland who show us the way, and kindle in us a yearning: May we enjoy security and peace. May we live in peace and fearlessness, with our children. May the heavens give peace! May the herbs give us peace! May all the vishvadevas (sages and educators) give peace. May all be conducive to peace and happiness. May the great God give peace! May all be given peace, peace and peace alone!! May I obtain that peace! (AtharvaVeda XIX & YajurVeda XXXVI) Chris is a Salesian priest, passionate about Christ, Peace, Youth and Media.

SANGATI

9

BETTER INDIA Diana Charles

Questioning... The Power of

and

Media

Some forty years ago, I had a couple of penpals who lived in the UK and Dubai. I remember writing reams and reams to them about all that was happening in India, but having to wait for almost a month before I received their replies with news of what was going on with them and in their respective countries. Every time when the postman went past my door there was that sense of disappointment that there was no mail for me that day.

For the last decade or so, the youth, if told that anecdote would not be able to comprehend or relate to something like having to actually wait to get news about anything. Whether it is Instant Messaging, Snap Chat, Twitter, WhatsApp, Facebook, email… today all messaging seems to be like instant coffee. We

Role

message and we get a reply even before we can blink. Most of us would regard the Internet as one of the greatest inventions of man. Tim Berners-Lee, thank YOU for your amazing foresight.

The internet is HUGE and its magnificence is its plurality, dynamism and vitality. We can find multiple narratives of the very same story all over it. That is the glorious part of it, but there is also the downside. The Internet is controlled by various search engines and most of us have our own favourites…Google, Bing, Yahoo, DuckDuckGo... I didn’t make up the last one. It is an Internet search engine that emphasizes protecting searchers’ privacy.

The purpose of communication is to provide information to the public and to create awareness regarding a particular issue. Through the media, journalists convey their message or news to their audience. They can use this medium to influence or even change the perceptions of viewers.

Take the same

10 SANGATI

Oct - Dec 2017

news item and switch to different channels on TV. Each channel will have its own way of interpreting or presenting the exact same news item. Sometimes it can be extremely perplexing how different the representation can be and because of this has led to people becoming downright suspicious of the news they are fed.

So how discerning are we really and do we believe all that we hear and read?

What most of us would agree upon is that the media should be an independent and unbiased medium, with bold, unbiased Editors. Its job should be to present the audience with Facts and NOT Opinions. Once the media begins to feed the public, opinions instead of facts and they realise that those opinions are being regarded as the veritable truth by the public, that suits their interests very well.

The power of being able to s h a p e public thinking emboldens them to keep on doing the same, very loudly and vociferously, day after d a y , drowning out any softer dissenting voices. The public most often does not even realise how it is being cunningly led.

As Jim Morrison long ago said-Whoever

Oct - Dec 2017

controls the Media, controls the mind.

If the media was using their voice for the greater good of mankind this supreme power of theirs would be more acceptable. Governments and nations should definitely use the media to promote peace and help alter views and sentiments to bring about peaceful resolutions to long standing issues. If the media helped highlight the work of organizations which are working towards this end, it would help the public perceive the world as a more peaceful place instead of always being at each other’s throats.

We need the media to more often highlight the good and not exaggerate the bad. It is the Media that should set their own exacting standards and abide by them. When media is bought it tends to sell the story that the piper wants it to sell. This distorted narrative is used to divert the public attention from important matters, to sometimes even change history. As the Nazi, Joseph Goebbels saidRepeat a lie often enough and it becomes the truth. The German people were taken in by the canards spread by their leaders over the radio, newspapers and film newsreels shown in every theatre. Today people have access to many sources of information and need to stay vigilant to understand what the truth is. Just as easy as it is to forward messages that spread hatred and fear, it is equally easy to find out how much truth the message has. Hoaxslayer. com, snopes.com and Altnews are just a few sites which are doing their best to debunk a whole lot of myths and falsehoods that go viral in a matter of minutes across the world.

Let us ask ourselves a question. Is Pakistan really going to be our enemy forever? Yes we have fought wars with them and constantly have trouble on our borders. Yes, the Kashmir

SANGATI

11

problem seems to be one which will never get resolved. And yes, they were once part and parcel of us before a very bloody cleaver split us apart. We have to only look at Germany which was divided but today is one country. Or let us look at all the many countries in Europe which fought the bloodiest wars but today are at peace with each other and even share the same currency. Their citizens travel across European borders with no restrictions, including Germany and Italy which were their bitter enemies. If they could bury their differences, then why can’t we? The strange part is that when Pakistanis, Indians and Bangladeshis live abroad, they are the best of friends. In my travels across Europe, I was always welcomed warmly by my fellow subcontinent citizens and given tips on the best places to eat at and where to get a good bargain.

However in India when we switch on our TVs we hear very harsh language when it comes to debates with Pakistanis. Those who try to speak peace are shouted down and termed anti-national. Loose talk about war is bandied back and forth. I have often heard acquaintances quote - All Muslims are not terrorists but all terrorists are Muslims. They have given in to the hype that emanates from these debates. We need to ask ourselves if we want succeeding generations to grow up living in fear of a nuclear war and constant diatribe between our countries. Do we want to spend millions of dollars on buying arms when we could use the same funds to build hospitals and schools? Peace will not just fall into our laps. It needs brave, stalwart leadership on both sides not to play into the hands of communal forces to be able to work hard and constantly and sincerely to bring that peace. It will be a long, uphill climb, but will be worth all the effort.

Nations on this Earth have to learn to respect the diversity that exists and welcome and embrace it. Then only and truly can we refer to ourselves as Humanity.

And this is where not only the Media that comprises of print and TV and radio play a major role, but also social media networking sites. Facebook if it was a Nation would be bigger than China. In fact China has blocked Facebook otherwise the reach of this SNS (Social Networking Sites) would have been phenomenal. Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, WhatsApp, YouTube and so many other SNS have become extremely popular for receiving instant news. Almost every celebrity or politician has realised the reach and power of a SNS account and have social media experts to handle their accounts to garner lakhs of followers. They are able to influence the way people perceive a certain situation… either exacerbating it or help pour oil over troubled waters. Sadly, too many play to the gallery and prefer the former since it gains them more followers. With travel and media, we talk about the world growing smaller… let it also help unite us.

Don’t use Social media to impress people, use it to IMPACT people- Dave Willis

12 SANGATI

Diana is an ex-principal and a freelance journalist.

Oct - Dec 2017

DIALOGUE Valentine D’Souza

United we Stand

Together we Win It was Jenny’s birthday and she was excited as any five years old would be on seeing the hustle and bustle all around. A cake was on the table, plates and glasses were neatly stacked in a corner and the house was filled with music, laughter and friendly banter as the guests slowly trickled in through the door.

Diana, Jenny’s grandmother ran about in a state of confusion. “Where are the birthday candles”? she called out to her daughter in law Cheryl. “Cheryl, my dear, have you put them away”?

Jenny seated nearby looked quizzically up at her grandmother. “Nana why are you calling my Mama, my dear?

Diana “I always call her so”.

“No Nana “What do you call her when Mama is not there? Diana looked confusedly at her granddaughter.

“That woman!” said little Jenny loudly and emphatically. And a hush descended on the assembly.

Let us draw the curtain on the whole episode but have we not been a witness to similar situations played out in our own backyard?

There is another story that unfolded years ago but the effects, repercussions and pain are felt to this day.

Oct - Dec 2017

Louis was a bright young boy from a lower income family struggling to make a living for themselves in down town Bombay. They stayed in a single room tenement that was close to an overcrowded municipal hospital and medical college. Louis was fascinated watching the young medical students dressed in their white coats as they walked by discussing animatedly the medical cases of the day. ”I would grow up to be one of them” he said to himself.

He studied hard and succeeded in winning scholarships every year. This helped to finance in part his academic expenses. He scored a high percentage at the University exams and won a seat in the medical college next door.

Louis thrived in the hospital environment. He was a much sought after medical student being good at public speaking and a good at games.

It wasn’t long before a young bright eyed Hindu girl, who was a medical student in his class, set her heart on him. Louis went on to complete a Masters degree in surgery and Aparna did a Masters in medicine. It was natural to expect that both would eventually get married but it was not to be. Louis’s mother would hear none of that. My son will marry a Catholic girl only. We have sacrificed every comfort for his ambition to become a doctor and he should not disappoint us now. Louis felt the pressure and it affected him deeply.

SANGATI

13

They were frequent quarrels between Aparna and Louis and it was quite clear that all was not well between them.

One day a notice was put up on the college notice board asking for doctors to join a trekking expedition to the Himalayas. A group had arranged a civilian expedition to the Himalayas and wanted a doctor to accompany them. Louis volunteered much to the displeasure of Aparna for she knew that he wanted to be away for some time. She also knew that he had no experience in trekking the Himalayas.’

Some days later the city newspapers ran the headline “City doctor missing in the Himalayas”.

The trekking expedition had met with a tragedy in which Louis lost his life. Aparna was inconsolable and so was his mother. His mother and Aparna spent hours together in their moment of grief.

Louis’s mother regretted her decision not to give her consent to their relationship. She was now more than ready but it was too late.

but with dialogue, all parties agreed to the proposal. Prema married Conrad and they soon grew into a family of a son and daughter.

Prema’s father and Conrad’s father became close family friends and both families thrived in this relationship.

Religion was no barrier in their lives.

What conclusions can we draw from these real life stories?

Families and communities need to have a dialogue with one another at all levels.

Families need to move out of their homes into the neighborhood. We need to move out from our virtual world of mobiles and internet and build real relationships with one another.

We need to be a little forgiving, a little tolerant and merciful.

A little bit of understanding, a little bit of love and care and a desire to reach out and handhold when the situation so demands can go a long way to make this world a better place.

Let us start with our family...

Aparna always remained close to Louis’ family helping his mother when she was terminally ill and dying of cancer.

Valentine is the President of the ADMA in the Salesian Province of Panjim.

There is another story which has a happy ending. A Hindu family of three sons and a daughter lived close by our house. A Catholic boy of the neighborhood showed an interest in the Hindu girl and soon they were in love with a view to marriage. Initially there was some opposition 14 SANGATI

Oct - Dec 2017

SUCCEED WE MUST Fr Alex D’Mello

Peace Begins at Home

“Nothing can bring you peace but yourself” is one of the most powerful quotes I have read about peace written by Ralph Waldo Emerson in one of his essays. He was a poet and an essayist from America, lived in the early 19th century whose writings focused on the individualism. Individualists promote exercise of one’s goal and desire. They advocate the interest of an individual takes precedence over the society. His thoughts invite us to build our self confidence.

In the above quote, Ralph Waldo Emerson displays his self confidence.

We will be able to admire Mr. Emerson for his quote only when we learn about him and the difficulties that he went through in his life. Mr. Emerson

Oct - Dec 2017

experienced sadness right from his childhood.

He lost his three siblings in his childhood.

He lost his father at the age of eight. At the same time, he lost faith in God. He suffered depression. Towards the end of his life, he lost all his literary works in fire. Such a man, who bore so much of trials and tribulations, was at peace because he knew the art of living.

Therefore, he could say that nothing can bring you peace but yourself.

Today we need to believe in ourselves that we can bring peace in this world which is full of challenges. The world organizations that are working for peace had a small beginning. It was perhaps the initiatives of few people who were convinced that they could bring peace here on earth. There is a need to become aware that each one of us has a responsibility to bring peace.

Many great inspirational leaders have spoken about it. Let me quote three of Catholic saints who are making us feel responsible in this regard. St. Augustine of Hippo, one of the most influential writers of the Church in 4th Century said, “Peace in society depends on peace in the family.” In similar lines, St. John XXIII, whose pontificate brought the newness in the Catholic Church by inaugurating Vatican Council II, wrote in one of his Encyclical letter “Pacem in Terris”, (Peace in the Word); “The world will never be the dwelling place of peace, till peace has found a home in the heart

SANGATI

15

of each and every man” (no. 165). In recent past, St. Teresa of Kolkotta, the Nobel Prize winner for peace said, “What can you do to promote world peace? Go home and love your family.”

All these saints who were engaged in peace building society realized that peace begins at home. Vatican Council II also acknowledges that each person must devote himself to the cause of peace with renewed vigor (GS, 77).

This approach will complement the work of peace at the organizational level. We need to realize that we don’t need structures, organizations, office bearers to work for the peace. It begins with one individual. It begins with self awareness. It begins with the self confidence. He will then spread in his surroundings. It may be at his work place or may be in his family. I would like to propose some practical principles that will help one individual to build peace in his home.

1. Respect the Human dignity We have heard umpteen number of times that we are all made in the image and likeness of God. It is the basis of our dignity but for us Christians there is one more important factor that elevates our dignity. It is the blood of Jesus. Jesus shed his blood on the cross for our salvation. We are worth more than anything in the world. Hence, we must bear in mind that the dignity of every human being comes from the person of Christ. Peace is threatened when a man is not given all that is due to him and when his dignity is not respected. If we believe that others should respect us then we must respect them. When we respect the dignity of the other, we respect Christ who lives in him. Can we honour our family members irrespective of their age, gender, qualification?

Do we make them feel that we respect their

views and opinions in our decision making?

Do we recognize Christ in them?

2. Recognize and defend the rights The second principle erupts from one’s dignity.

The roots of rights are in our very personality or dignity. Man has many inherent rights.

When a human being loses his or her rights; the social structure of the society gets affected.

The family is the basic fabric of our society.

The violation of rights of a person creates disharmony in the family and it affects the larger society. Do we recognize and defend the rights of every single person of our family?

If someone in our family asserts his rights to which we have contrary opinion then how do we react?

3. Forgive and be merciful The third principle should be the heart of our living. The world in which we live is growing impatient day by day. There is so much stress and anxiety that our relationships are getting crumbled down. There are so many expectations from the family members.

We are not able to sustain the pressure. We expect the others to be perfect but we know our weaknesses. The growing number of divorces, separations, domestic violation is the sign of this phenomena. Peace in family is vanished and the family is torn into pieces.

How can we restore back the peace in our family? Forgiveness and the acts of mercy is the only way. The crucifix is the sign of God’s abundance of mercy. God forgave us and showed us mercy in Jesus Christ. Can we be forgiving and merciful to our family members?

4. Pray for the peace God created harmony when He created the world. There was peace because God was happy

16 SANGATI

Oct - Dec 2017

with his creation. Peace was destroyed by the selfishness of human beings. We recognize that without God, we can do nothing. We believe that God has reconciled world to himself by sending His son Jesus Christ. He is the prince of Peace. We need to pray for peace in the world. Blessed Pope Paul VI who started the World Day of Peace with the spirit of Second Vatican Council realized that we can establish peace on earth only with the help of God. Do we pray for peace in the world in our families?

Do we believe that God can restore peace in the world with our intercession?

5. Speak about peace The fifth principle is something practical that each person must follow in his family. The time is ripened that we ought to speak about peace.

The media today is busy portraying blood, robbery, divorce, war, scams. Our children are fed with the sad and horror news. Let us create a counter literature and atmosphere in our families and communities by speaking about peace. The parents and the elders must take

the initiative. They should help the youth and children to explore ways of peace in today’s world. Our talks on the peace will change our behavior in our homes because we will be aware of our actions. Do we speak about peace in our families?

Conclusion There are so many authors who have given ways of establishing peace in our families. I have proposed five principles. They are not exclusive but suggestive in nature. Every person must explore ways of establishing peace in his or her family settings. Every peaceful family will be contagious in its surrounding. It will spread the peace. Let us recognize the important task of peace building families in today’s world. Let us own up this responsibility. Let us start in our homes. Mr. Emerson believed in himself therefore he could say, “Nothing can bring you peace but yourself”. The saints also guided us to begin movement of peace at home. God has shown the same way. He wanted to bring peace in this world. He chose the family. He was born in our families.

He gave us the most fundamental teaching that is, Peace begins at Home.

Fr Alex is the Director of the Family Commission in the diocese of Sindhudurg

Oct - Dec 2017

SANGATI

17

IN CONTROL Ian Pinto

A Healthy Atmosphere for a Healthy Family

Every planet and many stars and satellites including the sun and moon are surrounded by a layer of gases, commonly known as atmosphere. The atmosphere is basically a combination of gases which have an effect on the body they envelop. The atmosphere of Venus is so thick that it reflects most of the sunlight that reaches it. Since Earth is its closest neighbour, Venus appears as the brightest object in the sky besides the sun and moon.

The atmosphere of earth, on the other hand, protects life by creating pressure allowing for liquid water to exist on the Earth’s surface, absorbing ultraviolet solar radiation, warming the surface by trapping the heat from the sunrays and reducing temperature extremes between day and night.

Atmosphere is essential to life.

For some decades n o w , sc ient ists, ecolog ists and other i nterested p a r t i e s have been

decrying the wanton destruction of the atmosphere through the felling of trees, release of large amounts of CFC’s (ChloroFluoro Carbons) and other greenhouse gases and extensive pollution. Disturbing the composition of the atmosphere has terrible consequences and we are facing some of them, like hotter climates, paucity of rain, melting ice caps and natural disasters like tsunamis and cyclones. The reason for all this is simply, lack of care for the atmosphere.

The family is like the planet earth. If life should flourish and if the members of the family are to grow into respectable, caring, motivated, positive and successful people then a lot depends on the atmosphere around the family.

The home is where the family resides.

How does our family, home come across to people? Is it a place of love and concern w h e r e

18 SANGATI

Oct - Dec 2017

people are welcomed and looked after or is it a war-zone from which people run away? Is the atmosphere of the home like earth’s which fosters life and development or is it like some other planet, toxic and detrimental to life?

TESTING ATMOSPHERIC HEALTH The environment that children grow up in will directly and significantly influence the person that they become. How can we check the suitability of the atmosphere of our home?

There is no typical dysfunctional family. Often, such a family is composed of well-meaning individuals doing their best. Nevertheless, researchers point out certain characteristics which are visible across dysfunctional families.

1. Unpredictability and Fear. These are perhaps the most common signs. Fear usually stems from the unpredictable behaviour of one or more members of the family. This unpredictability may have to do with financial matters, emotional states or reactions to different situations. Family members become fearful of the actions of unpredictable member/s since aggression is often involved.

and resolve their problems.

Being a healthy or unhealthy family is not something that happens overnight. It is human nature to make mistakes and have areas in our lives that are not perfect, and often times families may go through unhealthy periods due to certain circumstances. What really and ultimately defines a healthy or unhealthy family is how long they persist in mostly positive or mostly negative behavior patterns.

IMPROVING THE ENVIRONMENT It does not take any effort at all to drift along

2. Conflict. While a certain amount of conflict is expected in a normal family, constant heated conflict is not. If a serious argument erupts over a slight misunderstanding on a frequent basis, then something is definitely not going right.

from day to busy day without giving any time at all to thinking about whether or not our home atmosphere is healthy and allows members to flourish and enhance our personalities. We can get so involved in budgeting for food, clothing, and health requirements that we tend to leave out the emotional and spiritual needs of the family, which are much greater than the other, material needs.

3. Lack of Forgiveness and Communication.

Closely connected with conflict are the qualities of forgiveness and communication. Without these there is an erosion of love, respect, trust and peace. Families will gradually drift apart and will lack the motivation to come together

Healthy families have parents who spend time with their children both inside and outside the home and encourage them to participate in extracurricular activities, including sports and social events. They encourage their children to talk about their feelings. These types of

Oct - Dec 2017

SANGATI

19

parents also have a healthy self-esteem and teach their children to value themselves. Here are a few things that can help us enhance the atmosphere of our homes: • Spending Time Together — Presence is a prerequisite for family life. You cannot talk of a family if members are constantly away or missing, except for special reasons. Children regard the presence of parents as signs of care and connectedness. Parenthood is a vocation from God and the influence of parents on kids is their greatest legacy. Availability to talk about issues, experiences, plans etc whether around the food table or elsewhere goes a long way to fostering health in family life.

• Express Affirmation and Encouragement — Showing love and care for one another is an important part of every relationship. Words and gestures have the power to make or break relationships. Often we take for granted our own feelings and those of the other person.

How many people suffer silently because they feel unloved in a family, whether it is parents who feel that their child is not grateful for their hard work and sacrifice or children who feel that their parents do not understand them or

have no time for them. Don’t hesitate to say “I love you”; “You can do it”; “I am there for you”. Families that express affirmation and encourage each other are more likely to be happier and achieve better results.

• Keeping the Communication Lines Open — Members must feel free to express their views, opinions, likes and dislikes in an atmosphere of freedom and respect. No one must feel suppressed or left out. Developing a habit of listening is crucial. Owning up for mistakes, apologizing and asking for forgiveness are very important. Parents must make themselves available to their children so that their children can open up and confide in them.

• Praying and Working Together — “A family that prays together stays together.” Prayer is the adhesive that keeps the family together. It makes God the center and allows each member to draw from the rich fountain of God’s love and grace. Prayer alone cannot sustain us we need to work as well and in a home work is abundant. Though a lion’s share of housework usually falls on the wife or mother, delegation of chores and responsibilities can enormously help improve the atmosphere of the home.

When each one plays a significant part in fulfilling household duties, cohesiveness is fostered.

Ian Pinto, a young Salesian belonging to the Panjim Province, is presently pursuing a degree in Master of Philosophy.

20 SANGATI

Oct - Dec 2017

LIFE CHANGING Tony da Silva SJ

Christmas

When God visits His People The month of December typically heralds the imminent arrival of Christmas. It’s the season of festivities, family re-unions, celebrations and merry making. For God visits His people in a special way on Christmas day. The Birthday of Jesus unleashes in the hearts and lives of believing Christians new hopes and dreams for peace, joy, brotherhood and sisterhood.

Christmas is also a season for visiting others and sharing our joys. A visit always means becoming more present to those we visit. This presence is shown through signs of closeness, care and concern for the other. Such closeness and compassion touches and transforms the visitor as well as those being visited. St. Luke tells us in his Gospel narrative how Mary, the mother of Jesus was transformed when she visited her cousin Elizabeth before the birth of John the Baptist.

Why does God visit His people?

God visits His people in order to assist us in our daily struggles and challenges. He brings us relief from suffering and pain and fills our hearts with courage and strength to follow in His pathways. When

Oct - Dec 2017

God visits, He breaks into human history and changes it. The birth of Jesus at Christmas changed forever human history. He opened for us new avenues to see the human and compassionate face of God, His Father.

The feast of Christmas richly symbolized in the birth of a child, reminds us that Jesus is also given the title “Emmanuel” which means, “God is with us”. Through the birth of His Son, God visits us and stays with us as part of the human family; from now on He will accompany us and lead us from strength to strength in our in daily life.

How does God visit His people?

The Bible tells us that God visits His people in a multitude of ways, some more significant and others less so. God visited Mary in a significant way when the angel Gabriel announced to her that she was soon to become the mother of Jesus, the Son of God. This unexpected and shocking visit of the angel left Mary deeply troubled initially; however, she soon understood God’s plan for her and accepted God’s will.

Though this visit of God totally transformed the life of Mary, she was not to fear

SANGATI

21

about the future for God would always be with her.

God also visits His people through ordinary, everyday events of life. We have to make the effort to find God in all such events, some joyful others painful, some expected and others unexpected. Generally, in the happier events of our life we quickly recognize the blessings of God; however, even in the painful and disappointing happenings, God is present but not always immediately visible. In such situations, we are challenged to pray that our eyes of faith may open wide and allow us to see and understand God’s plan for us.

What may the results of God’s visit be?

When God visits, His presence touches and transforms us. We start to see our difficulties and problems in a different light. Our mind becomes illumined and our understanding becomes sharpened. Of a sudden, events in our life start to make meaning; we start to see the world the way God sees the world, that is, with compassion and mercy. There is a greater readiness to forgive and be reconciled with our neighbour.

God’s visit fills us with grace.

Hence, the angel addressed Mary with these words, “Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with you…” The grace of God which flows into our life is the tangible result of God’s visit to us. To be full of grace is to experience God’s strength to carry out His plans in our daily life. After God’s visit, Mary became emboldened and dared to even leave her own home

and cross the hills of Judea on foot, in order to visit her cousin Elizabeth who was with child and needed help.

When filled with grace, our actions become “graceful” and bring forth much fruit. We become more compassionate and considerate of the other; we reach out more willingly to the suffering and the poor, in imitation of Jesus and Mary. To be graceful is also to be grateful to God for the many wonders He works and the blessings He showers on each one of us.

The Christmas season is one such season of gratitude and our visits to friends, relatives and others can become occasions to thank God and thank each other for the love and friendship we share mutually.

A Christmas Message for Visits and Visitors Christians are challenged during the Christmas season to reach out to those least likely to be visited by others. We count among them refugees, prisoners, the homeless, the sick and the elderly in our neighbourhood. Does God visit them? Of course He does, through us! May our Christmas visits extend beyond family and friends to the less fortunate. May the less fortunate also see the face of God’s love and compa s sion t h r o ug h our visits and social gatherings.

22 SANGATI

The writer is a Jesuit priest and works at Xavier Centre, porvorim, Goa. Oct - Dec 2017

SAVIOUR OF THE WORLD Jason Pinto SDB

God’s Incarnation and Divine-Human-Nature HARMONY Mr. Fernandes was anxiously strolling outside the maternity ward, when a nurse interrupted him. “Are you nervous Mr Fernandes about your wife’s delivery?”

And then consoling him, “don’t worry you will have a beautiful child”.

“Well, this is how you tell every couple…I guess” asked Mr. Fernandes.

“No, only those couples whose babies are beautiful”, she said.

“And what about those couples whose babies are not beautiful?” asked the inquisitive Mr. Fernandes. “Oh in that case, we say… congratulations…your baby looks exactly like you” was the nurse’s witty reply.

For us believers, Jesus Christ, the Son of God is God’s exactness in human form. While December 25th is known to many as Christmas Day, famous for Santa Claus and Christmas Trees, the Catholic Church celebrates the Feast of the Incarnation of Our Lord. “God exactly in human form.” Probably this name may sound rather technical and theological, it however invites us to reflect on the great

Oct - Dec 2017

event in human history – when God became Man in that humble stable at Bethlehem. God’s incarnation as a human being is a perfect harmony of the divine, human and nature.

God as man in the midst of cattle in a shed.

This act of God has its own consequence on us as Christians.

God as a person – Since God is a mystery, we may end up philosophising and theologizing on who God is, who the Supreme Being is, with all HIS/HER characteristics and attributes.

However, in that little stable God is made present to us as a little babe, holding his fist, clinching to his mother. God there, is not the God of the philosophers and theologians, but the God who is with us – Emmanuel.

As Christians, we bear a great responsibility to make God present to all. This is not an option, but an obligation which we as Christians ought to take seriously. How do we do that? First and foremost by bearing witness to him, to his sacrificing unconditional love. Next we are called to live a life based on the Gospel values preached to us by Jesus. A good Christian as another Gospel, I believe.

SANGATI

23

Nature as mother – God’s choice to be born in a stable, being laid in a manger in the midst of cattle signifies God’s dwelling in the nature as well. Later on in most of his miracles, Jesus uses things (mud, water, spittle) from nature to show God’s presence in the miracles he performs. The Biblical imagery of God and nature is, God entrusts Human Beings the care of nature. Hence our role is that of stewardship.

While we often forget to care for nature, being stewards of nature, God makes God’s presence visible in nature. In this age of global warming and loss of ecological sense, the Christmas event is a good example for us to appreciate nature and God’s presence in nature.

Human greed to hoard things and unplanned development of one’s surrounding has posed a big threat towards nature’s sustainability.

The more we are discovering and inventing things, the lesser is our sense of caring towards Mother Nature. God in the midst of nature on that Christmas night reminds us of our sacred responsibility towards nature.

crying and pain will be no more, for the first things have passed away” (Rev 21: 4). While God makes us holy through His incarnation as a Human Person, He also commands us to respect human life. Hence, this act of God taking Human form calls us to protest all forms of violence, trafficking, abortion, rape, killing, and all those other forms of human hatred which profanes human life.

In the name of God, millions of people are killed. In order to make our borders secure a lot of money is spent on mass destructive machines like nuclear bombs, grenades, missiles, etc. When will this end? Our God is a God of all. A God who does not categorize us, distinguish us, based on any standard. We as creatures, need to respect human life as our fundamental human duty.

Human life as sacred – Since God has become part of human history, the whole of human race is now sanctified.

The whole of human civilization has entered into a new relationship with God. “He will wipe every tear from their eyes. Death will be no more; mourning and 24 SANGATI

To conclude, I would invite all readers to pause for a while and reflect as to how we can translate God’s love into action in our day to day life. May this divinehuman-nature harmony be always visible in us and through us to others. Let God’s incarnation not just be a once upon a time event, rather let God be made present daily through us His disciples who bear the name “Christians.” Let us make this Christmas more than just sweets, Christmas trees and Santa Claus.

Fr Jason is a Salesian priest working at Don Bosco Mission Centre, Honnihalli in Belgaum.

Oct - Dec 2017

REJOICE Roshan Rosario, OFM cap

Christmas

A gift of Peace and Happiness “He, who has not Christmas in his heart, will never find it under a tree.” Roy L. Smith Think of Christmas and various kinds of imagery run through our minds, be it the snow covered valleys, Santa Claus, Christmas trees and so on. But let’s not forget Christmas is the birthday of our Lord Jesus, our Saviour, God Incarnate (John 1: 14 “And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us - and we beheld his glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father - full of grace and truth”).

In fact, whenever we are invited to a birthday celebration the guests take presents for the birthday celebrant. But what about a birthday celebration where the guests are promised a gift? Surely everyone would like to go to such a party. One such invitation was sent 2000 years ago, when the angels heralded the birth of Christ to the shepherds when they cried out “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men” (Lk 2:14). Yes, on Christmas

Oct - Dec 2017

day a child is born to us, the Emmanuel who brings us the gift of peace and happiness to all mankind.

Where does our Peace and Happiness lie?

Human beings right through the ages have been searching for the perfect peace and happiness in their lives. People have sought happiness in power, wealth, fame, good health and so on, but as history is the witness all of these have fallen short in giving peace and happiness, in fact, their pursuit has only led to despair and disappointment. So the question remains ‘Where do we find the perfect peace and happiness?’

When we go back to Bethlehem, we see two sets of people who were able to witness the great event of Christ’s birth. The first set of people were the wise men from the East, who saw a sign in the sky. The wise men were seekers of wisdom and truth, who realised that true

SANGATI

25

wisdom and knowledge, lay with the promised king, the source of all wisdom and happiness.

While the shepherds on the other hand, were simple and humble enough to believe the words of the angels in faith and thus receive the ‘Prince of Peace’. What about other people?

Why did no one else witness this great event?

While the rulers were perplexed and worried about their power and position, the scholars were busy speculating and debating, whereas others were too busy with their daily chores, especially the people of Bethlehem, so much so that they did not have the time and place for the Holy Family, who went around the town of Bethlehem, seeking a place for rest. In the end we see, it was the wise men and shepherds who returned filled with peace and joy, singing the glory of God. When we come to our present, consumerist and materialistic age, the scenario is not much different, maybe even worse. We are too busy with our work, ambitions and blind pursuit of things which we believe will give us happiness.

Christmas is reduced to mere symbols (read decorations and kuswars) without any deeper meaning. St. Francis grasped the true meaning of Christmas in the 13th century, when he enacted the scene of Bethlehem at Greccio, Italy, thus starting the tradition of cribs. For Francis, Christmas was the feast of feasts, because God himself came to earth, God incarnate, one among us and like us in everything except sin. That was Christmas! We should ask ourselves what does Christmas mean to us personally and what significance it holds in our lives.

Are our hearts and lives filled with peace and happiness like the wise men and shepherds or is it reduced to one of the many celebrations, a kind of annual event?

Maybe Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more....

On a parting note, I am reminded of the story named ‘How the Grinch Stole Christmas!’, where the Grinch, a solitary, grumpy creature is annoyed with the noise and celebrations surrounding Christmas. He decides to steal the presents, trees, food and all that represents Christmas. On Christmas day, he expects the town people to wail and lament, but to his surprise he hears them singing and dancing with joy. The Grinch understands the real meaning of Christmas and exclaims ‘Maybe Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more...’

Let us, this Christmas, make a conscious effort to know the real meaning of Christmas which is not in the external things but like the wise men, shepherds and St. Francis fix our gaze at the babe of Bethlehem and receive the gift of peace and happiness. When our hearts are filled with the Lord’s peace and happiness, let us share the same with the people around us and proclaim like the angels

26 SANGATI

Glória in excélsis Deo et in terra pax homínibus bonae voluntátis.

“Glory to God in the highest and, on earth, peace to men of good will.”

Roshan is a Capuchin completing his philosophical studies at Divyadaan, a Salesian Institute of Philosophy, Nashik.

Oct - Dec 2017

WITH GOD Vivian Andrews SDB

On Jesus, Peace and Christmas “Then Simeon blessed them and said to his Mother Mary, This Child is destined for the fall and rise of many in Israel, and will be a sign of contradiction.” – Lk 2:34 Christmas often makes us look at the world around us. We hear of nuclear weapons, terrorist attacks, rapes and murders and one cannot help but ask, when was the last time the world was at peace?

Maintaining world peace seems like mission impossible. International organisations, NGOs and the Church itself through her many institutions strive hard to work for peace. All said and done, was the Prince of Peace not born two thousand odd years ago in Bethlehem? Has His mission been a failure?

During this season of Christmas let us step back, reflect and take a closer look at the Peace of Christ…

“Do you think that I have come to bring peace to the earth? No, I tell you, but rather division!” St. Matthew recording the above statement uses a stronger word in place of division i.e. makhaira, (often translated as sword) meaning a large knife usually used to slit or divide. How is it that the Prince of Peace as prophesied in Isaiah 9, said that he came to bring division, we may ask? Is he the same ‘peace loving’ Jesus? Was it not He who said, “Blessed are the peacemakers?” Is this a contradiction?

Well, the answer lies in understanding the type of peace Jesus came to bring.

The Jews at the time were waiting in hope for the coming of the Messiah, whom they expected would free them from the oppressive Roman rule and usher in an era of political peace and tranquillity. Although he saw the political situation of Israel, the Prince of Peace did absolutely nothing to better the situation politically, instead he said, “Give to

St. Luke records that Jesus once said to his listeners,

Oct - Dec 2017

SANGATI

27

Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s.”

One can subtly perceive here that Jesus did not come to bring world peace or political stability, for He Himself foretold of future wars and of nation rising against nation. If he came to usher in an era of peace, tranquillity and harmony, why was he crucified in the first place? It is because the Jewish leaders realised that he was not their political king to be. Besides, his teachings usually left many restless. Even as an infant babe he was seen as a threat and hunted down by King Herod. Almost all of his earliest followers were either persecuted or martyred.

What he came with was not an external peace or a comfortable life but rather to reconcile us to the Father, that is, to make our peace with God. What exactly then is the peace that Christ has to offer? It is one which strangely causes division. Jesus spoke of how even families would be divided on his account. He came to divide, to cut off from us all that has taken the place of God in our lives be it things, people,

even family or our very own selves. That is why he said, “Anyone who loves father and mother more than me is not worthy of me”, and “He who finds His life will lose it; He who loses his life for my sake will find it.” implying that we give first place to God in our lives. Family, friends and ourselves next. He wants our full allegiance, the rest follows. This is the cost of being a disciple of Christ for He first divides, purifies and then makes whole.

Men and women throughout the ages, have undergone this turmoil, when answering the call of Christ. In the life of St. John Bosco, we see this division in his family when he felt God’s call to the priesthood. His stepbrother Anthony was violently against it but John stuck on. He sadly had to leave home and his poor mother had to ultimately divide the family property on this account. Later as a priest, he was thought to be a madman, was ridiculed by many including the clergy and lost many friends. Accused of having gone insane they once even tried to send him to the mental asylum. But he knew what he was doing, the will of God for him, nothing more, nothing less and that was his peace.

At the heart of Christ’s peace lies this paradox, “Unless a grain of wheat falls and dies it cannot bear fruit.”

If we want to experience the peace of Christ, we have to first allow Him to breakthrough in our lives.

Understandably this teaching is difficult to accept because in many

28 SANGATI

Oct - Dec 2017

ways it goes against many of our human tendencies. Swami Shilananda a Spanish Jesuit priest, would tour the villages in Nashik, Maharashtra on his bicycle dressed as a sadhu singing bhajans and keertans in Marathi preaching the gospel of Christ. Enchanted on seeing a white man and a catholic priest dressed as a sadhu, many would gather around him. His listeners once asked him, “Baba, Krist svilarlyavar amhala kai faida hoyil?” (Baba, what will we gain on accepting Christ?), to which he replied, “Faida kahich nahi, nuksann hoyil” (No gain at all, but loss). And then one by one they got up and went on their way.

Only when we accept this bitter truth of Christ, despite the unrest within and outside us can we experience the true peace of Christ.

Facing tribulation on account of his preaching, St. Paul spoke of a peace that “surpasses all understanding.” Jesus reminds us once again about his brand of peace when he says “Peace I give to you, my peace I give to you, not as the world gives.” St. Francis of Assisi knowing and experiencing this difference sang “Lord make me an instrument of Your peace.”

lost in this grand secular narrative. While it is our duty, let us remember that this is not the ultimate mission of the Church. For if we say that it is, then are we like the Jews of old who longed for a new world of peace and prosperity, a messianic age? Are we still trying to find in Jesus that which they did not find? Our mission is rather to make our peace with God and help others make theirs. Jesus was not a pacifist, he was not just an ethical teacher who came only to make us feel better. He came rather to challenge our human nature, to disturb us, to turn the world upside down.

I conclude with the words from one of Ven. Fulton Sheen’s sermons on the true meaning of Christmas. He says, “Jesus did not come to make us nice people, he came to make us new men; to change our natures… to make us more than just human beings. THAT is our HOPE, our JOY, our PEACE, our MERRY CHRISTMAS!” Vivian is a young Salesian studying theology at Opera Salesiana Teresa Gerini, Rome.

W h i l e work i ng for and promoting justice and world peace is indeed a laudable and noble thing, the danger we could fall into is getting

Oct - Dec 2017

SANGATI

29

FOLLOW THE STAR Bro. Aliester D’Souza SDB

Gifts for the King Twelve days after the babe was born, Twelve days after that happy morn Came unto a little town Three kings – men of wise renown.

Crossing vales and dales and deserts dry Beneath sun and moon and starry sky.

What splendour did that sight evoke That buyers, traders, country folk Went to the manger, there to see Kings of the earth on bended knee.

Through hills and plains and deserts wild They come to bow before a child!

And then as they in worship bent Reached out in homage to present Sacred off’rings signifying Mystic meaning, them implying Incense for a priest, gold for a king And myrrh for the scent of suffering

But the men and their gifts declare That Christmas is a time to share.

To climb the hills and mountains high, Cross rivers wet and deserts dry So that to all we can bring Gifts fitting for our King.

I wonder who the three men were Who bore the incense, gold and myrrh Who followed the star from the east To bless the Saviour, King and Priest.

Crossing sand and dune and deserts cold A Lord in a manger to behold!

Aliester is a Salesian Brother of Mumbai province doing his particular formation in Philippines.

30 SANGATI

Oct - Dec 2017

INTERVIEW Joaquim Lobo SDB

Thirumurugan Gandhi is a Tamil Nadu-based, Pro-Tamil Social reformer, Geo-political commentator who founded the ‘May 17 Movement’ for the cause of Eelam Tamil society’s struggle for their separate Tamil Eelam, primarily those affected by the last stages of the Sri Lankan Civil War. Gandhi is also a supporter of anti-nuclear protesters and championed the Kudankulam anti-nuclear protests.

1. Who inspired you to become an activist?

I am inspired by Thiruvenkadam Velupillai Prabhakaran and Periyar E. V. Ramasamy.

2. What are the core tenets of ‘May 17 Movement’ founded by you?

This movement is fighting for the justice for Eelam Tamil civilians affected by last stages of Sri Lankan Civil War & the rights of Tamils in Tamilnadu.

3. What issues did you raise at Geneva Human Rights sessions in the United Nations for the last three years?

I spoke about Eelam Tamil genocide, Referendum for Independent Tamil Eelam, International investigations for crime genocide on Sri Lankan state, Tamil civilians killing in Tamil Nadu, Anti-Tamil violence in Karnataka, 20 Tamils

Oct - Dec 2017

encountered in Andhra Pradesh and 700 Tamil fisherman killed by Sri Lankan Navy.

4. How do you see your imprisonment from May 29 - September 20, 2017 under Goondas act?

It was unfair and unconstitutional for four of us who were imprisoned. We were attempting to light candles in remembrance of Tamils who were killed in Sinhala Chauvinist Sri Lankan Regime. Tamil Nadu police wanted us not to hold the vigil.

But their act of imprisonment helped us a lot. It has strengthened our will to fight.

5. How do you see the present situation of Tamil Nadu, India and world as a whole with regards Justice, Peace and Harmony?

The present Indian government is trying to

SANGATI

31

control everyone through the state machinery.

It controls the election process and influences the community. It controls the bureaucracy and judiciary.

Election process will not provide any solutions to our people and therefore we do not vote.

We support anyone fighting for their rights.

We support the cause of Rohingyas, Palestine, Kurds, Catalans, Kashmiris, and Minorities of India.

6. Every State has their share of problems created by those in power. What should people do to fight against these evils?

People need to be aware of the situation and stand unafraid for their rights. We must fight in a democratic way.

7. What changes in society will bring to the people Justice, Peace and Harmony?

We must come together and unitedly stand together.

8. You were in the forefront of the fight to revoke the ban (2014) on Jallikattu, a bulltaming sport in Tamil Nadu, which you won.

How do you respond to the animal activists who say that this sport is a cruelty to animals?

Jallikattu has been one of a symbolic representation that reflects our tradition. If there is some harm done to the animals, it needs to be regulated. We will follow the regulatory procedures.

We will not accept complete ban on this sport. Those who talk about cruelty

actually see to their own interests and profits.

9. Did Social Media played a very big part in the success of recent peaceful protest for Jallikattu?

I do not know about it.

10. How did you manage to gather one million students for pro-jallikattu protest?

It was the spontaneous reaction to the excesses of the state and the central government.

Protesters were opposing their authoritarian actions.

11. Why have your interviews on the media channels stopped after you were imprisoned?

Main stream media channels are controlled by the government. They have become puppets in their hands.

12. We do not just want to survive but live happily in the culture and state we are born in. What is your message to the young of today?

Young of today needs to be politically aware and stand up against injustice.

32 SANGATI

Oct - Dec 2017

TACKLE IT STRAIGHT Fr. Nelson Lobo OFM cap

The problem of Evil

Under the Microscope “Evil should not exist. Yet it does. That is the fundamental paradox” said Bruno Hidber my German professor in Rome. We were doing a course on the problem of evil. Like many people we had more questions than answers. Problem of evil or suffering is indeed a complex one. It has many shades and angles. In the face of evil, the human person experiences and realizes his limitations. All of us want to avoid evil or even uproot evil but sooner or later we realize that we are not able to achieve the good we want to do. We realize that the very people who perpetrate evil are also the victims of evil. This relationship between the doer of the evil and the victim of the evil seem to be as old as the book of Genesis. And yet the problem of evil has now taken a new dimension in the modern world; Therefore, the urgency to tackle this problem.

My professor Hidber used to say that our world is become more global and less comprehensible to us. Evil, in our time, has taken a kind of ‘qualitative leap’ towards the negative, of which Auschwitz (place of concentration camp during Hitler’s regime) has become the symbol of evil. To achieve an “administrative massacre” morality was substituted by efficiency and functionality. They say nearly six million Jews lost their lives as a result of

Oct - Dec 2017

this planned evil. The Nuremberg trials which took up the cases after the Second World War came up with the new concept (which is now popularly used against dictators) of “crime against humanity”. Modern 9/11 attack in 2001 has some semblance to Auschwitz. If Auschwitz was an “administrative massacre” then 9/11 could be called a “logistical massacre”.

Glimpses of this “logistical massacre” we also see in India; Godhara riots, Babri Masjid riots, burning down of churches, lynching in the name of cow protection etc. Like Auschwitz, 9/11 was also strategically calculated and planned. Every pre-planned attack (by the government or a terrorist oufit) on the innocent civilians renders the human face invisible.

Pope John Paul II pointed this out several times. It is a perversion to use the name of God for acts of terrorism and assassination. In this sense, these “administrative massacres” were not only crimes against humanity but also against God. Now the second half of the 20th century has often been described as the “postAuschwitz” period, so that Auschwitz has become the paradigm for atrocious evil on a level previously unknown. Catholic theology has tried its best to deal with this mighty problem. It has made traditional distinctions with regard to evil. These distinctions are valid but limited and therefore we need to search

SANGATI

33

new approaches and deeper insights. For now let’s have a look at the different faces of evil.

TR A DI T IONA L DIST I NC T ION OF EVIL The traditional Catholic theology made a distinction between physical, metaphysical and moral evil. Beyond this traditional threepart distinction, we should add at least one other dimension that has assumed decisive importance in our times. The fourth dimension is the structural evil. We shall see them one by one.

1. Physical Evil (malum physicum) Physical evil refers to the evil which, so to speak, is part of the very constitution of the world and of human nature. We encounter it directly as part of our daily human life. For example we encounter tsunami, floods, and earthquakes i.e. natural catastrophes. This physical evil is super-human. Physical evil even in the form of ‘law of the jungle’ or sicknesses always destroys harmony and wellbeing of humans. This causes suffering.

anguish and death.

3. Moral Evil (malum morale) This evil consists essentially in the disorder of human freedom and will. It is the evil caused freely, consciously and intentionally by man as commission or omission. This is what we call as sin.

4. Structural Evil (malum sociale et structurale) This notion refers to that evil, produced by our societies, which is expressed in structures and mechanisms that have assumed a certain autonomy and seem to function according to intrinsic laws, at whose mercy individuals find themselves. (See Pope John Paul II’s encyclical Sollicitudo Rei Socialis, Chapter five).

In this context even the best of intentions all too frequently end in evil. Sometimes they cannot avoid collateral negative effects. At times, those to whom the good action was directed can end up feeling diminished even

2. Metaphysical Evil (malum metaphysicum) This evil refers to the absence of perfection. It refers to the finitude of created things and beings. It points at our fragility, illness and death.

It focuses on human despair, 34 SANGATI

Oct - Dec 2017

humiliated. On the other side, bad things and evil events can produce at least indirectly, good consequences. For example 9/11 resulted in a huge positive movement of solidarity and compassion. Keeping this in mind we say ‘God works good out of evil’. Finally even what we consider as progress there is an element of fear and anguish in our progress. For example the discovery of atomic energy hides within it the possibility of the collateral destruction of the world. Research in the medical and biological fields has created the possibility of incredible cures, but also of manipulation and threats to life. Such paradox and complexity make it difficult to arrive at a simple definition of evil.

Despite this deficiency the traditional Christian definition of evil maintains its validity: “Evil is privation of some good which should be present” (cum malum nihil aliud sit quam privation debitae perfectionis of St. Thomas Aquinas). For us modern generation such an understanding of evil violates the experience of evil as a threatening power and as a terrible reality.

In any case, any attempt to define evil should reflect both the privation of a due good and evil’s destructive power. It will probably never be possible to offer an u nequ ivoca l definition of evil. However it is good to look at the definition offered by St. Augustine way back in 387-388

Oct - Dec 2017

in his essay De moribus Manichaeorum. In this essay he says evil is id quod nocet or “that which harms”. So according to St. Augustine evil is that which harms, breaks apart and destroys life, that which impedes growth and slows the achievement of a goal. In this sense it is an attack on life and on good. The problem of defining evil and making distinctions as I have mentioned above must be taken with a bit of caution. If it is true that the human being, in the same moment, can be the author and the victim of evil, then where precisely is the boundary between moral evil, physical evil and metaphysical evil and structural evil? Where does each kind of evil begin and where does it end? At the epistemological level we will never be able to know evil at its core and in its depth.

We will never be able to master evil. Evil is and remains the “mysterium iniquitatis”.

The writer is a Franciscan Capuchin priest of Goa Province based at Shanti Niwas Cuncolim. He has authored six books and gives motivational talks and retreats.

SANGATI

35

EQUALITY Charlene Farrell

What More Can A Girl Do?

We moved into the twenty first century fairly easily. Things just went from one moment to the next. We shifted gears and most of us didn’t even pay heed to the transition. Transitions did take place and most were quite radical.

Today, the call of the hour, as we all hear it, ‘The Empowerment of Women’. What is this empowerment we are all talking about? Does it mean, women all over the world should turn into power hungry individuals with a penchant for freedom? Do we throw off our responsibilities, shove our husbands in the kitchen and go out and earn the family meal?

(The stereotypical undertone is being used to drive home a point and is not intended to propagate any gender roles as a norm).

Empowerment means to give power and/or authority to someone, and when we talk about women’s empowerment then, are we actually trying to say that ‘NOW’ after all these years, our women need to have a tad bit of power and authority over a few things? We are still not an empowered sex, and that is evident from the atrocities we are victims to on a daily basis. Here, I am not even talking about the countless rapes and murders we are used to seeing written about on the papers, just the basic right to live, free of judgement and a male chauvinistic mentality which is surprisingly not only a mentality held by men but a number of our backward thinking women.

Male chauvinism as a woman? Well let’s think

36 SANGATI

Oct - Dec 2017

about this hilarious little fact. This is something I have seen when a woman is looking for a ‘nice girl’ for her darling boy. She wants her to be simple and pure, free from any blemish, she needs to be God fearing, not God loving but fearing! Oh and she just has to be thin and tall and beautiful! With a footnote saying that caste is not such a big deal. Now this is empowerment, is it not? I have the power to demand miss perfect for my boy, no questions asked. I had this very hilarious and extremely overwhelming experience recently. A meeting of single girls and boys, you know, to find your perfect match… there were hundreds of people, and I say people because you can’t really categorize 50 year old men as boys, can you? From various walks of life, and I say this because most of the lovely ladies there could hardly get past the fact that the men they had to converse with felt that it was fine that having past the 10th grade, it was their right and privilege to approach nothing less than a girl who had ‘at least’ a graduation. At the meet another dilemma we girls faced was, ‘Do we approach the guy and ask about him or would that be interpreted as us being too forward’ or ‘do we wait for someone to come and ask about us’. Sadly, the boys were very shy, so not much of mingling actually happened.

The question here, ‘What more is a girl to do?’

We hopped on the ‘empowerment’ bandwagon!

We studied as much as we could, we got amazing careers helping us earn enough to provide for ourselves and a few others, we became independent, and we have learned that we can rule the world! And then we turn thirty and then we are told ‘now settle down with a nice boy, have a few babies and life will be perfect’. The problem our society is facing with

Oct - Dec 2017

regard to this is that we are so very confused about what we are to do. Empowerment, in my opinion is a mixed message. It says, ‘Women folk, you are weak so we are giving you power.

Men folk, appease the women, we’ll hand over a few of the responsibilities, but if you want, there’s the bar, let her work now, you chill’.

The better message would be ‘We have equal rights, and it is a joint duty for us all to make this world a better and safer place.’

We are changing our words but are we really changing our mentalities? Today, both, women and men are confused. First, we need to do away with the stereotypes, second we need to educate every woman about their rights, third we need to promote equality and finally dear government, and we’d like you to put into practice what you fly around the world preaching.

Charlene is a counsellor and a teacher; she writes for ‘the Goan’.

SANGATI

37

CHANGE YOURSELF Neil Fernandes SDB

Prejudice

A Catalist for Phobia & Enemy of Peace The last decade has been plagued by terrorism, riots, threats of a nuclear war and other events that endanger our life on earth. But, what has made this world, a world created in love and for love, a place of pandemonium? In my view, I think that the reason is an irrational disliking to an individual, group or community, or in one word, prejudice. This prejudice leads us to act indifferently to various communities. This feeling of indifference, more often than not, leads to hatred. When we live in hatred, we are powered by anger, which has the ability to destroy intimacy, love and trust. There is this evil residing in us, waiting to pounce on an unexpected prey. This instills fear in others and in oneself, which later turns into a phobia.

It may be hard for the afflicted to determine or communicate the fear, but it definitely exists.

In recent years, a specific phobia has gripped a large number of people Islamophobia, an exaggerated fear, hatred and hostility toward Islam and Muslims. The primary source of this fear is the fact that major

acts of terror - 9/11 Twin Tower attacks, 26/11 Mumbai attacks, the attacks in Paris, Las Vegas and the Middle East - have been committed

by Muslim Fundamentalists in the name of Islam. In the light of these events, many have termed Islam as the religion of violence, since it propounds killing or Jihad. But, the idea of Jihad is misconceived and misinterpreted by a few Islamic extremists. Jihad is meant to be a battle within yourself, a battle, at the end of which all sin will be vanquished. Because of the misinterpretation of a few extremists, many in the world hate and fear Muslims. Such is their fear that countries in Europe and in other parts of the world, refuse to accommodate refugees from Syria and other wartorn countries. They fear that terrorists may enter among these refugees, because many have the prejudice that, “All Muslims are the same.�

But this whole idea is wrong. Some terrorists maybe Muslims, but all Muslims are not terrorists.

They are normal human beings who want to live a peaceful and happy life.

And, just like the character

38 SANGATI

Oct - Dec 2017

played by Shah Rukh Khan in the Movie ‘My Name is Khan’ they all say, “My name is Khan and I’m not a terrorist.” Pope Francis came out strongly against this prejudice towards Muslims and has asked parishes in Rome to open their doors to refugees. Many Muslims, too, are no longer sitting quiet but coming out to plead that they may be treated as equals.

One such example is Brittania Clifford-Rugh, who confidently walked on stage ‘The Voice Australia’, wearing a hijab and said, “I came on the Voice to break down some stereotypes and misconceptions of Islam in the media.”

But Muslims are not the only ones who are stereotyped. Members of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) community face tough situations and challenges, and fear coming out in public. Many in the LGBT community grow up dealing with constant harassment and a lack of consideration by their peers. The effects of growing up with harassment and prejudice can last for decades.

Even in the most gay-friendly societies prejudice exists. There are even records of extreme harassment and hate crimes against members of the LGBT community. An individual can be affected, both, directly and indirectly, by seeing these crimes in the media. This hostile environment brings prejudice within the gay community. Gays and lesbians reject bisexuals as faking part of their sexuality; transgenders are often misunderstood and face rejection.

There is absolutely no communion. People look upon them as anomalies of society. But, will God, who is perfect, create something imperfect? We are all made in his image and likeness, aren’t we? If we are, then why the prejudice against the LGBT community?

of the Catholic Church and pushed them open a little wider, calling for the Church to be more tolerant in practice while not changing any official doctrines. He has urged priests around the world to be more accepting to gays, lesbians and other people living in, what the Church considers, irregular situations. “A pastor cannot feel that it is enough to apply moral laws…. As if they were stones to throw at people’s lives.” says Pope Francis. He emphasizes that unjust discrimination against gays and lesbians is unacceptable, and downplays the idea of ‘living in sin.’ Pope Francis leads the way for us to follow. He asks himself a question, which I think all of us should “If they accept the Lord and goodwill, who am I to judge them?”

This problem, of prejudice leading to phobia and disrupting peace for those living in fear, is not unsolvable. There is a way, and that way is communion, harmony and empathy. Today, we fail to connect with each other. Disconnection is a growing cancer. But, it has a cure, working together. What we do together is much greater than what we can do alone if we only forget our prejudices. The world has problems not because there are no good people, but because there are good people who are not doing anything. We want others to change, but how can I remove the splint in someone else’s eye when there is a log in my own eye? If each one of us vows to change ourselves, our mindset, we can change the world. Together, we can, once again, make this world a world of peace and love, free of prejudice. So, I leave you with one wish: Change Yourself and Change the World.

Neil is a young Salesian studying at Divyadaan, a Salesian Philosophy Institute in Nashik.

Pope Francis has put his shoulder to the doors

Oct - Dec 2017

SANGATI

39

IN ALL FAIRNESS Joanne D’Souza

Give

JUSTICE It’s Due

The first thing that comes to mind when I think about justice is the fact that we seem live in a completely unjust and unequal world. We see it so much in our everyday lives that very often we tend to ignore the injustice just because we have become accustomed to it.

In a recent CNN report the statistics that emerged were shocking. It concluded that about 60% of India’s nearly 1.3 billion people live on less than $3.10 a day, the World Bank’s median poverty line. And 21%, or more than 250 million people, survive on less than $2 a day.

Today, the richest 10% in India controls 80% of the nation’s wealth, according to a 2017 report published by Oxfam, an international confederation of agencies fighting poverty. And the top 1% owns 58% of India’s wealth.

(By comparison, the richest 1% in the United States owns 37% of the wealth).

Another way to look at it: In India, the wealth of 16 people is equal to the wealth of 600 million people.

In Goa, the recent move to charge Non Goans for treatment in our Government Hospital is also a form of injustice. This is debatable but personally I feel that the people from neighbouring states lack the facilities in their own state and hence are forced to travel long distances for better treatment. It is our duty to provide good healthcare facilities irrespective and extend the same to the members of the neighbouring states. After all to build a harmonious society we need to give importance to social equality and justice.

40 SANGATI

In

our busy life we hardly pay attention to things happening around us and we barely do our bit to even out the odds aga i n st

Oct - Dec 2017

social inequality. We see it in every aspect of our life and yet there is precious little that we strive to do to eliminate it. Back when I used to work for Helpage India, an NGO that works for senior citizens I used to see many cases of verbal and physical abuse against seniors and I used to find it alarming. Every human person has the right to live with dignity and yet the poor and vulnerable live with discrimination every day. Where is the justice in that?

When we speak against social evils united in one spirit we can make a big difference. It’s not always easy to do something that pits you against the rest of society that doesn’t seem

to care but there is feel good factor in doing the right thing. We should care about the poor children or the lost youth and the broken families. Empathy is a powerful tool against disconnected and lost world. As Catholics we have been shown the way by Jesus. He chose to be born in a lowly manger forsaking all the rich grandeur and by this action has taught us humility and kindness. In this Christmas season let us try to take this spirit of humility, kindness and compassion forward and work towards to build a more equal and just society.

Joanne is a Physiotheraphist and an ADMA member.

SUBSCRIBE to

Don Bosco's

SANGATI Bulletin

Name: Date: Address: City: State: Pincode: Contact No:Landline Mobile: Email: Editor - Sangati Bulletin Boskon Communications Don Bosco Provincial House Odxel, Goa University P.O. Goa 403206 Ph:0832 2451449 Email: sangatidonbosco@gmail.com

Oct - Dec 2017

SANGATI

Cheque favouring Goa Salesian Society DONATE/SUBSCRIBE Online Visit for details www.donboscopanjim.com

41

AWARENESS Nandini Cardoso

How to find peace within Myself Peace is what we all crave for. Peace is what humanity has piteously cried for, age after age. Peace – in this one word you have the secret, the answer to all your questions. Peace has three dimensions: peace within our own selves; peace among nations; and peace with nature.

Why is it that we lose our peace of mind?

Because our wishes, our desires are crossed.

We want a particular thing to be done in a particular manner. When it happens in a different way, perhaps in exactly the opposite way, our peace is lost. So how do we find inner peace? Probably the first step is realizing that the world may be wayward and for the most part, out of our control, but when it comes to our own self, we are the drivers the decision makers. It is our choice. To be at peace with ourselves is to be better equipped to face the world. To be at peace is to be more contented with our lot in life. If we seek to find the peace within ourselves, then try the following tips.

Live in the present moment.

An inability to let go of the past and a sense of inevitability about the future will plague the mind. Moreover, it keeps you from enjoying the present moment, from wholly focusing on the present. Take each day as it comes. It is much less burdensome, and less overwhelming, to think of what can be done today, rather than be bogged down by what should have been

done yesterday, or what can happen tomorrow.

Learn to appreciate events as they happen.

Learn to accept.

There are many things you’d like to change – but cannot – and you should be able to accept that. There are many traits that you do not have, and that are simply against your nature, and you should reconcile yourself with that.

There are people around you who do not behave as they ought, and despite nudging, guiding, negotiating, debating and outright arguing, will not be swayed. You do what you can, but learn to accept that sometimes

this will not result in the hoped-for outcome.

Avoid getting frustrated and feeling as though you were hitting your head repeatedly against a wall, by learning to accept.

Forgive.

The ability to forgive is crucial for you to move on from the past, and find peace within yourself. Unless you forgive yourself, that hatred of self will be a cancer in your soul,

42 SANGATI

Oct - Dec 2017

slowly eating whatever self-respect, confidence and self-esteem you have. Not being able to forgive others will be a stone in your heart, slowly enlarging and further hardening, keeping you from feeling better about the past.

Forgiveness is part of letting go. Forgiveness is easing the chokehold emotion has on you.

Forgiveness opens you up to healing, growth and possibility.

Meditate.

Among the many benefits of meditation is calm and insight. With meditation, you are able to monitor your inner world, recalibrating your thoughts and emotions into a semblance of order, so that it makes sense. You decrease restless and obsessive thinking. You keep things in perspective and so make more

accurate judgments. You develop the strength of will to withstand the onslaught of a confusing world. Any anxiety you have, any tension, will be slowly leached away, as you meditate.

Keep a journal.

Writing can be cathartic. In itself, it is also a method by which to gather thoughts and emotions, and make sense of them. You can style this journal in a manner most helpful to

Oct - Dec 2017

you. If you find yourself preoccupied to the point of distraction, this is one way to harness that outpouring of ideas and emotion – you can later go back to them with a cooler head. You can also use this journal to create “gratitude posts” that will remind you of the good things, the things that you lose sight of when you are worried or stressed. It can be a record of your journey to inner peace, the struggles you have gone through, and the milestones you have accomplished thus far. Who knows? Perhaps someday you may publish your journal so that it can also help someone else.

Slow Down Due to the fast-paced and complicated environment today, many people forget the importance of simply stopping right into their tracks and taking the time to appreciate the beauty of everything around us. Don’t always be in a hurry. Learn to appreciate the beauty of nature. You have all the time in the world, so always give yourself a break.

Faith.

Maintain a healthy relationship with God. Whenever you’re in trouble, always maintain a strong faith that He is in control, and that He won’t give you any trials that you can’t handle.

Don’t forget to spend some time to pray. Prayer is one of the ultimate means of meditation, and helps you establish a stronger connection to God so that He can give you strength that you need.

Having a strong faith in Him makes you feel at ease, and confident that no matter how many trials that you encounter during your lifetime, you’ll be able to overcome them.

Nandini is a school caunsellor. She loves working with young people and strives to make a difference in their lives.

SANGATI

43

HEADS HELD HIGH Sr Melissa D’Souza FMA

Youth for Peace

To begin with I would like to quote the words of the young Malala Yousafzai who stands before each of us today as a model of courage and peace. “I speak not for myself but for those without voice... those who have fought for their rights... their right to live in peace, their right to be treated with dignity, their right to equality of opportunity, their right to be educated”. She has proved to be a voice for the voiceless, a person who won the war against the ‘Right of girls to education’, not by a sword or by violence but by forgiveness accompanied with the power of the word.

“The terrorists thought they would change my aims and stop my ambitions, but nothing changed in my life except this: weakness, fear and hopelessness died.

Strength, power and courage was born ... I am not against anyone, neither am I here to speak in terms of personal revenge against the Taliban or any other terrorist group.

I’m here to speak up for the right of education for every child. I want education for the sons and daughters of the Taliban and all terrorists and extremists”, said she.

Responding to concerns about

his safety, Yousafzai’s father said, “We wouldn’t leave our country if my daughter survives or not. We have an ideology that advocates peace.

The Taliban cannot stop all independent voices through the force of bullets.” So we see where her ‘Desire for Peace’ came from…her family… her father.

‘Peace begins with me’ is a common caption used for every contest. The cry for peace is the cry of every ‘World citizen’, be he/she rich or poor, young or old. The English Text book of Std VIII presents a beautiful lesson – The Best Christmas Present in the World, where Jim

44 SANGATI

Oct - Dec 2017

Macpherson writes to his wife Connie that on Christmas Day, instead of the normal shooting and fighting both the British and French soldiers were happily exchanging drinks, snacks and carols. Their union concluded in a football match. He then said how every soldier would actually just want the war to end and return to their families. Mahatma Gandhi, the father of our Nation, well known for his struggle for independence by peaceful means once said, “An eye for an eye only ends up making the whole world blind.” Peace is a journey that has to begin in the heart, as Buddha has rightly said, “Peace comes from within. Do not seek it without.” Dalai Lama in our present time almost seconds his statement by saying, “We can never obtain peace in the outer world until we make peace with ourselves.”

While each of us strives to make PEACE a reality within ourselves, in our families and neighbourhood there are countless individuals who having attainted this, reach out to work for global peace. Here I would like to share the story of the young Saumya Aggarwal, age 21, a student of Delhi University student who has cofounded the trust, Youth for Peace International that aims to spread values like non-violence and empathy, and hence, make the world a better place. It all began in 2015 when Saumya, an artist and a student at Ramjas College, met Omang Agarwal, a student at Shaheed Bhagat Singh College, who also had a similar outlook on life. “I wanted to have an arts start-up in a conflicted area and he asked me if I could link arts with a social cause. We started partnering with different events to first understand what we actually wanted to do,” she says. That’s when they met peace scholars who educated them on creating more future peace builders.

By the end of the year, the duo had set up the

Oct - Dec 2017

Trust. A turning point for Saumya, she says, was a peace and conflicts workshop that she had conducted in Kashmir in association with Indo-Global Social Service Society. “We conducted workshops there in rural and urban set-ups. What I learnt was that students from rural areas were more concerned about the conflicts, but the ones from the urban background were least worried. We had to work on societal peace for the former, while the latter needed lessons on inner peace,” she says.

Later, Saumya and Omang also worked with the Rohingya refugees in Delhi. “We had a Facebook friend who was a Rohingya refugee who approached us about a workshop. We focused on health, psychological trauma and education,” she says. But the workshops are currently on hold, owing to the current political situations. But that hasn’t stopped the duo. These youngsters have more projects coming up. They’re planning a peace workshop in Darjeeling soon and they’re always working towards the bigger picture — world peace.

Today, peace being the need of the hour, we see the birth of many associations, NGO’s and individuals who strive to make PEACE a reality.

We have Global Youth Peace Fest (GYPF), which has as its main objective, to promote peace, equality and living in harmony with nature. It strives to connect youth-based social change efforts across issues, geography, and all lines of difference, unleashing the collaborative power and collective action of today’s younger generations. We also have Yuvsatta (an NGO) working in a variety of areas to steer the young people towards implementing Gandhian ideals of Constructive Programme based on voluntary effort and individual and community action.

SANGATI

45

You and I may not be a part of any such NGO, association or organization; but we are surely part of a family, a school/college/work place, a society, a state and a country. We ought to take the words of our beloved former President A. P. J. Abdul Kalam seriously “Where there is righteousness in the heart, there is beauty in the character. When there is beauty in the character, there is harmony in the home. When there is harmony in the home, there is order in the nation. When there is order in the nation, there is peace in the world”. John F. Kennedy, quoting on PEACE beautifully said, “Peace is a daily, a weekly, a monthly process, gradually changing opinions, slowly eroding old barriers, quietly building new structures”. Hence peace is not something that can be obtained over night. The battle against selfishness and ego has to be ongoing. The mind has to be the cradle where PEACE can be born. It is true that there is power in the actions and words of the youth, but the effort for peace should be the effort of each world citizen. Peace cannot

be accomplished without you or me. There will surely be occasions wherein peace becomes a struggle. It is in during those despairing moments that we can recall the words of St. Francis de Sales, “Never be in a hurry; do everything quietly and in a calm spirit. Do not lose your inner peace for anything whatsoever, even if your whole world seems upset.”

“Without peace, all other dreams vanish and are reduced to ashes”, said Jawaharlal Nehru in his time. This stands true even today.

Peace is both God’s gift and a human achievement. As a gift of God, it is entrusted to all men and women, who are called to attain it. We continue to trust that 2018 will see us all, especially the youth firmly and confidently engaged, on different levels, in the pursuit of justice and peace. May Jesus, the ‘Prince of Peace’ bless our efforts with success.

46 SANGATI

Sr Melissa is a Salesian nun belonging to the Mumbai province, working at Caranzalem, Goa.

Oct - Dec 2017

GIVE PEACE Fr Rakesh OFM cap

St Francis of Assisi

Promoting Peace and Harmony Pax et Bonum – “Peace and All Good” is a typical Fra nc isca n greeting.

It was also considered as the motto of St Francis of Assisi. In Italy especially Fra nc i s c a n s while greeting one another and the faithful always say, “Pace e Bene” – “Peace and All Good”. Both Peace and All Good are strong elements in the life and spirit of St Francis of Assisi. In all his sermons he began by wishing his audience, “God give you Peace” a form of greeting which he had learned by a revelation.

Christ revealed to St Francis the greeting which the brothers were to use and which he recorded in his Testament: “The Lord revealed a greeting to me that we would say: “May the Lord give you Peace.”

what? God is the secret of his true peace and harmony.

St Francis as a man of peace and seeker of harmony saw God as the great a l m s g ive r.

Eve r y t h i n g he saw and touched, he perceived as a gift from God; his heart continually overflowed with joy.

St Francis of Assisi was not only called a channel of peace but also a seeker of harmony. He is well known for these two virtues, but what is the secret of his true peace and harmony?

Is it his wealth, power, and glory? No. Then

“The Lord bless you and keep you; May he show His face to you and have mercy.

May he turn his countenance to you, and give you peace.

The Lord bless you!”

Oct - Dec 2017

Often it is said we cannot give to others that which we ourselves do not posses. St Francis of Assisi was convinced that peace of Soul was indeed a priceless treasure. He wished whole heartedly that everyone might be the happy possessor of it. As a parting gift to Brother Leo, Francis of Assisi gave in his own handwriting a blessing of peace from the book of Numbers (Cf Ch. 6: 24-26).

SANGATI

47

To the world at large he left a prayer for peace which is uttered by thousands of men and women today hoping for the establishment of a true and lasting peace among nations. The following prayer is usually attributed to St Francis of Assisi: Lord, make me an instrument of your peace: where there is hatred, let me sow love; where there is injury, pardon; where there is doubt, faith; where there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light; where there is sadness, joy.

O divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console, to be understood as to understand,

to be loved as to love.

For it is in giving that we receive, it is in pardoning that we are pardoned, and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.

Amen.

Francis understood peace as the fruit of integration. Peace of heart reflected his intimacy with God and wonder of nature and all creation. This awareness led him into the mystery of the oneness of God’s love.

Then awed by this unity, he witnessed to the experience with his lips and served his sisters and brothers as an agent of peace. According to St Francis of Assisi, only those who share in peace can create peace. He had a profound sense of the importance and necessity of spreading peace and harmony everywhere. Therefore He promoted true Peace and Harmony to the entire Universe.

F r a n c i s understood that worldly peace brings war because worldly peace is false peace in which persons can live in sin, unaware of the structures that oppose and dominate.

To have world peace one needs to have peace within oneself.

The idea of world peace is attractive but

48 SANGATI

Oct - Dec 2017

impossible to attain unless each person strives for inner peace. This means opening oneself to the transforming action of God’s Spirit within. For Francis, peace is not just absence of conflicts or tranquility but the peace that the gospel speaks: peace is the core and centre of one’s being.

Francis was not only a lover of peace; he was a maker of peace. He did not concern himself only with preaching the peace which should penetrate the hearts of the people; he set to create an end of war without which his goal of bringing peace would have been largely unachieved. All who seek to follow Francis must arm themselves with the gospel and with Francis’ example to bring peace and harmony to the world.

St Francis of Assisi always lived in peace. He lived in harmony and wished harmony in the world. As Franciscans we are called as heralds of peace and harmony and not compromise. Our Franciscan tradition of peace and harmony is that, one who desires peace and harmony must be on

the spiritual journey to God. Peace and harmony cannot be obtained by force or violence. It is not a commodity to bargain for nor is it an abstract ideal, attractive only to idealists and dreamers.

Peace and harmony are fullness of God’s love. It is the love of God revealed to us in the outstretched arms of Christ on the Cross who invites us into His embrace of peace and harmony.

As Franciscans we have a great role to play in the society. Today people are not hungry and thirsty for material things rather they long for God-experience. For true peace and harmony come from God who is the source of everything.

If we want these two ideals to be achieved then we need to give God top priority in our life.

We Franciscans can make a difference if all of us become conscious and convinced of the peacemaking and harmonious vocation after the inspiration and example of St Francis of Assisi. May St Francis of Assisi make us true instruments of peace and harmony in the world!

Fr Rakesh is the Rector of Capuchin Ashram, Nashik, and a professor at Divyadaan:Salesian Institute of Philosophy.

Be a Part of the Don Bosco Family!

As a Salesian (Priest/Brother/Sister) Contact: Fr Joel D’Souza, Don Bosco Panjim (North Goa & Maharashtra) Ph: 9421117819 joelmaxsdb@rediffmail.com Fr Austin Fernandes, Don Bosco Benaulim (South Goa) Ph: 9420906544 austinworld69@gmail.com

Fr Kiran Nazareth Don Bosco Youth Centre Shirva (Karnataka) Ph: 9765958832 kinnanaz13@gmail.com Rector of any institution

Oct - Dec 2017

As a Benefactor / Donor Contact: Fr Loddy Pires, Shrine of Our Lady of Fatima, Don Bosco Panjim, Goa 403001 loddyp@gmail.com Ph: +91 832 221986 ext 276 Mob:+91 8762801749

To BOOK MASSES & Make ONLINE DONATIONS visit: www.donboscopanjim.com As a Volunteer Contact: Director, Konkan Development Society, Odxel, Goa. Ph: 0832 3260711 / 09881810953

SANGATI

49

A PEACEFUL HEART Aaron Lobo OFM cap

The Garden Once Lost Mention the word garden, and the first thing that pops into my head is the sight of some lovely plants, bushes, trees, birds and all the other wonders of nature that one can think of. But, that is not it. There is something else too without which my definition of a garden would remain incomplete; that being the presence of people, who are there to imbibe and appreciate God’s beautiful handiwork at their disposal; who only add to the beauty of it, not necessarily with their physical beauty, but rather with their inner beauty and more precisely with the beauty of the relationship which they share with nature as also with their fellow human beings.

When we take a look in the Holy Bible, we come across the mention of a garden in the book of Genesis. Eden, as it was called, means delight. Though there are doubts concerning the actual existence of this utopia, there is one thing that I am convinced of, and can very well convince you too. The Garden of Eden did exist. Archeologists and Geologists say that the Garden of Eden has not yet been found, or rather that there are various hypothesis marking out places which they say could have been the Garden of Eden. Well, the reason that the Garden still remains undiscovered is because we have been looking for it in the wrong places and with a wrong imagery of it in our minds.

So where exactly is this garden? It is where you already are. The Garden of Eden created by God was never meant to be a separate, special physical place. In fact, it was never meant to be a place at all. This Eden refers to the state of a human being; a state of perfect harmony with fellow human beings as well as the entire creation. When God created everything, He just could not but exclaim that it was all good; and when He created man the exclamation had to go a step further. Man was the epitome of

50 SANGATI

Oct - Dec 2017

God’s creation. Needless to say that he had to draw out the “very good” from the lips of the Almighty. What was unique about man was that he shared a personal relationship with God. We just don’t go roaming around in a garden with a stranger. Scripture tells that man walked in the garden together with God, a sign that they shared such an intimate relationship that even the angels must have been jealous about.

What happened to the garden then? When man sinned, he was simply thrown out of the garden, so to say, the relationship that he shared with God and the rest of creation was marred and thus there was a rift created. As a result, that which seemed to be lush green once now felt like barren harsh and scorching.

The peace that man enjoyed while in God’s presence, was replaced with toil, sweat and hardships. The birthplace of man which held for him the promise of eternity, now would become his grave. And all this just because sin blocked the presence of God from man and created a distance between them.

sacrifice however was not enough to pay for the damaged caused. While on earth, man soon forgot what it felt like to be in Eden. As days passed, sins increased and the thirst to be in God’s presence decreased. History was repeating itself and man was taking a turn for the worse. He was reaching a point from which the Garden of Eden would be lost forever. And it was then, that God intervened again. He sent His only son, his presence incarnate, amongst us, to remind us of what it felt like to be in Eden. And at the end of His mission, he paid the ultimate price to restore the relationship that was lost, so that man could roam freely in the Garden as he once used to.

The Garden of Eden is not lost. It is there within the hearts of each one of us. The need of the hour is to just discover our way to find it back; not by looking at the world map, but rather looking at God, our neighbours and the entire creation with love.

Aaron belongs to the order of Capuchins and is presently pursuing his philosophical studies at Divyadaan: Salesian Institute of Philosophy, Nashik.

Nonetheless, the story does not end there. All our mistakes have to be paid for. Likewise the mistake committed by our first parents too had to be atoned.

But it was God who took it upon Himself to pay our debts and give us another chance to come back in His presence. The Bible tells us that as He cast them out of the garden, He sacrificed an animal and from its hide covered them. This

Oct - Dec 2017

SANGATI

51

CHRISTMAS MESSAGE RM Fr Ángel Fernández Artime SDB

CHRISTMAS JUST LIKE DON BOSCO’S Throughout the entire world, I have seen Salesians who defend children and young people from the many Herods of our day and who continue to dream, guided by the angels, just like Don Bosco.

Never before had the good citizens of Turin seen such a spectacle as they did in 1842.

Along the elegant streets of Turin’s center city, a group of boys were singing a Christmas hymn and a priest was directing them! The music was a bit unsophisticated, but those boys sang it with so much love that it moved all who heard it. Don Bosco had no place to gather the boys to practice the song, so they practiced right in the streets – those streets that the boys knew so well. The hymn had even been written on a windowsill.

Those boys lived their Christmas walking, just like Jesus’ parents when they set out on a journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem. There they experienced what it means to live in a foreign land: there was no room for them in the inn. The doors of the people’s homes were shut to them.

Mary and Joseph share the fate of many refugees and foreign workers who seek a home and are turned away, today, just like 2,000 years ago. Don Bosco’s boys, too, were looking for a place where they would find protection so

52 SANGATI

Oct - Dec 2017

they could grow, far away from all perils. Don Bosco searched with them and committed his very life to find it.

During my visits to the Salesians around the world, I have encountered many children and young people who find a home and protection in the arms and the affection of Don Bosco’s sons. I have also seen children – boys and girls – all over the world singing happily together.

Jesus was born in a stable. Men did not welcome him; the humble animals shared their shelter with him. Don Bosco began his work in a dirty and broken-down shed. With Jesus’ birth, the stable was filled with light – warm and gentle light – and all that was poor and despised became precious. A manger for

animals became the throne of the Most High.

The ramshackle Pinardi shed would have discouraged anyone. Don Giovanni Battista Francesia testified: “When Don Bosco visited that place for the first time, the place which had to serve for his Oratory, he had to pay attention lest he crack his skull because on one

Oct - Dec 2017

side the shed was only a meter high. For a floor, there was bare ground, and when it rained, the water came in from every side. Don Bosco felt huge rats running between his feet, and over his head swooped bats.”

But to Don Bosco, this was the most beautiful place in the whole world: “I ran right back to my boys. I gathered them round me and began to shout in a loud voice, ‘Great news, my sons! We’ve got a place for our Oratory, a more reliable one than we’ve had till now. We’ll have a church, a sacristy, classrooms, and a place to play. Sunday, next Sunday, we’ll go to our new Oratory, which is over there in Pinardi’s house.’ And I pointed the place out to them.

Wild enthusiasm greeted this announcement.

Some boys ran around shouting and jumping

for joy; some stood stock still; some raised their voices, I would say, to yelling and screaming.”

(Memoirs of the Oratory of St. Francis de Sales [1989], p. 257) Why John Bosco dreamt. The Christmas angel appeared in a different way in the Gospel of Matthew. Here there was no splendor

SANGATI

53

surrounding the Holy Birth. The angel appeared to Joseph in a dream. It was he who commanded him in God’s name to take care of that Baby. The angel appeared to him at other times in dreams also. Joseph did exactly as he was told, right up till the time when Mary’s Son would reach the age when no one could make a further attempt on his life.

In dreams, Don Bosco was invited to care for the boys and young men, to help them grow, with affection and goodness, lest any Herod threaten them any longer. Throughout the entire world, I have seen Salesians who defend children and young people from the many Herods of our day and who continue to dream, guided by the angels, just like Don Bosco.

“Do as the Shepherds Did” I will allow Don Bosco himself to conclude my Christmas wishes. In the Good Night that preceded one of the Christmas novenas at the Oratory, he said: “Tomorrow begins the Christmas novena. I recommend two things to you for these days. Call Baby Jesus to mind often; recall the love that He brings you and the proofs that He has given you of His Love to the point of dying for you. When you get up in the morning immediately at the sound of the bell, and feel the cold, recall to mind Baby Jesus, who trembled from the cold, there on the hay. Throughout the day, encourage each other to study your lessons well, to do your work well, and to stay attentive in school out of love for Jesus. Do not forget that Jesus advanced in wisdom, in age, and in

grace before God and men. Above all, for love of Jesus, watch that you do not fall into any sin that could disgust Him. Do as the shepherds of Bethlehem did: go often to visit Him. We envy those shepherds who went to the stable in Bethlehem, who saw Him as a newborn babe, who kissed His little hand, and who offered Him their gifts. How very blessed those shepherds were, we say! Yet, we have nothing to envy because that same blessing is also ours. That same Jesus, who was visited by the shepherds in the stable, is found here in our tabernacle. The only difference rests in this: that the shepherds saw Him with their eyes of flesh; we see Him only with the eyes of faith.

There is nothing that we can do that would be more pleasing to Him than to go often to visit Him. How shall we go visit Him? First of all, with frequent Communion. Another way is to go every now and then into church during the day, perhaps just for a minute.”

Wherever there is a Salesian work, I have seen churches, some small and some large, but every one of them with an image of Mary with Baby Jesus in her arms – just as it was in Bethlehem 2,000 years ago.

54 SANGATI

Oct - Dec 2017

This page of Sangati is dedicated to

Fr Dominic Savio Fernandes, SDB

who died unexpectedly on October 8, 2017 in Goa. He was one of the contributers to Sangati.

We pray that he rest in peace!

Born: April 7, 1957 First Profession: May 24, 1980 Priestly Ordination: December 29, 1990 Died: October 8, 2017

Oct - Dec 2017

SANGATI

55

ase

ele ok R

Bo

A Call to Seek the Face of the Other The Release of Levinas & The Asymmetrical Relation and without expecting anything in return. Felix claims that our socio-political order is ultimately founded on an ethical responsibility towards the ‘Other’. Without such a foundation our society is bound to fail. The present situation of untold injustice, discrimination, oppression, and even the annihilation of the ‘Other’ based on our differences in religion, caste, language, ethnicity, etc., is clear indication of our failure on this front.

According to Sidney Mascarenhas, a Levinas scholar, Felix’s book spells out the rich implications of the Philosophy of Emmanuel Levinas. It seeks to promote social justice and right relations between men and women. In particular, Felix highlights the relevance of the philosophy of Levinas for Indian society stunted by the twin evils of racism and casteism. With its appreciation of the ‘otherness’ of the other and the plurality that exists in our society, Levinas’ philosophy promotes the dignity of the human person. This work invites us to seek the face of the ‘Other’.

- Banzelao Teixeira, sdb

Levinas and the Asymmetrical Relation, a book by Felix Fernandes, was released at Divyadaan–Nashik, by Don Mauro Mantovani, the Rector Magnificus of the Salesian Pontifical University, Rome. The release was held on November 2, 2017 during an official visit by the officials of the Salesian Pontifical University to which Divyadaan is aggregated. Since the author could not be present in Nashik for the occasion, a simultaneous release of the book was held at Don Bosco Odxel, headquarters of the Salesian Panjim province of which Felix Fernandes is the Provincial.

Fr. Felix Fernandes studied the philosophy of Emmanuel Levinas, a Jewish philosopher, while pursuing his doctoral studies in Rome. This book is the fruit of several years of doctoral research. Levinas focuses on the asymmetrical element of the relation between the self and the ‘Other’, wherein the ‘Other’ could be one’s friend, family member, neighbour, acquaintance, stranger or even ‘enemy’. I am called to assume ethical responsibility for the ‘Other’ in a non-reciprocal way. It is a call to put the needs of the ‘Other’ before my own, to reach out to the ‘Other’ without counting the cost

Copies of the book are available at Don Bosco Provincial House, Odxel.

Price: Rs. 300/-.

You may contact the Provincial Secretary (Fr. Roshan): inpsec@gmail.com; Ph. 7517728767.

56 SANGATI

Oct - Dec 2017

Thank you very much dear readers, you encourage us with your feedback. (The Editor) Write to the Editor on sangatidonbosco@gmail.com

Letters to the Editor...

July - September 2017 | Vol 10 Issue - 03

Congrats, you’ve done an amazing work. One pertinent issue you could have touched on is the Blue Whale social game, it’s repercussions.

- Joaquim Fernandes, Mumbai

Excellent cover story and related articles.

- Ajoy Fernandes, Mumbai

Yet another wonderful issue of the Sangati. I read with interest the latest issue and I must say the theme “Lured into Social Media” has been addressed by the writers from different platforms and angles according to their speciality or experience and this makes it interesting reading.

It is good to know that Bill Gates and Steve Jobs did not allow their children the use of smart phones until they were of major age.

- Valentine D’Souza, Goa

I read the book [Sangati] which was forwarded to me by my friend. Really an inspiring book. It’s a great Issue. Enlightening articles on social media. Editorial is too good.

- Fr Sunil D’Souza, Mangalore

The articles are really informative, educative and relevant. The dynamics of how the Social Media works, especially among the young, is presented well in this issue.

- Fr Freddie Pereira sdb, Bangalore

Oct - Dec 2017

SANGATI

57

SALESIAN

BENAULIM FATORDA LOUTULIM KAKATI ODXEL DABOLIM OROS KUDAL PARRA PALIEM PANJIM SIRSI

PROVINCE NEWS

Brother’s Day

Marian Pilgrimage to Belgaum

The Brothers surprised the Pre-novices with their skills in table tennis and carrom.

The Devotees of Mary Help of Christians (ADMA) of the Panjim Province went on a pilgrimage to the Fatima Cathedral in Belgaum on the October 29, 2017. 36 members of Odxel, Parra and Benaulim participated. All along the way from Goa to Belgaum, the group sang hymns to Our Lady and recited the Rosary. On reaching Belgaum, the pilgrims celebrated the Mass at the shrine. They also visited Gyan Niketan Retreat house run by the Canossian sisters at Desur.

The Brothers’ Day for the Salesian Brothers of the Panjim province was held on November 12, 2017 at Bosco Udyogshala, Pinguli.

The six stars, Bros.

Frank Braganza, Anthony Rocha, Francis Mascarenhas, James Marcus, Frederick D’Souza, and Jayson Fernandes were felicitated on this day. There were interaction time and a question answer session with the pre-novices. In the family circle pre-novices expressed their gratitude to the Brothers.

GOSPEL QUIZ 2017

The Gospel Quiz 2017, was held at Don Bosco Animation Centre, Benaulim on October 14, 2017 organized by the Youth Paschers. 23 teams from 17 schools participated in the Quiz.

The participants had come well prepared to be part of this event. There were a lot of mind boggling rounds in which the students participated with great delight. Fr. Austin Fernandes, SDB along with the other Salesians animated the whole event, guiding the Youth Paschers to keep to the tempo of the day.

The winners of this quiz competition were Fr. Agnel High School, Verna while Auxilium High School, Beanulim bagged the second place. The participants were given a certificate along with a crunchy snack.

Tiatr at Don Bosco Panjim

In commemoration of 125 years of tiatr, the theatre club of Don Bosco Higher Secondary School, Panjim celebrated its Annual Theatre Day on November 18, 2017 with the theme – Tiatr, Gõychea Somazacho Harso.

The programme focused on providing a miniscule experience of the various elements involved in tiatr as an art form. It was aptly supported and presented through various songs and skits.

The Chief Guest, renowned tiatrist, Mr. Socorro Fernandes shed light on the important milestone in the history of tiatr.

The occasion was also graced

by Mr. Nicholas Fernandes, a lyricist and the Principal Fr. Savio Gomes. The enthralling performances by the students regaled the audience and awakened in their hearts a renewed love for their ‘Maim bhas’. The programme was coordinated by Tr. Selza Lopes and the theatre club leader Benjamin Monserrate.

58 SANGATI

Oct - Dec 2017

PINGULI QUEPEM SHIRVA KELMBET SULCORNA SUTGATTI TRASI TUEM CORTALIM GHATAPRABHA TIVIM

BAL MELA at Honnihalli, Karnataka

Commemorating Universal Human Rights Day, the Salesians along with the parishioners of Our Lady of Good Health, Chapel, Sankeshwar organized a Bal Mela for the children of Honnihalli. It was indeed a wonderful Salesian venture collaborating and networking with youngsters of other faiths as well as the locals of the village.

The children were already introduced to some of the games that would be played during the evening. The Bal Mela began with a theme based movie “chocolate” after which the emcee facilitated a short discussion with the children.

This was followed by a short prayer service. During the course of the day the children were given short inputs on what our basic rights as human beings are. “….just as we have rights we also have our duties to perform, especially towards Mother Nature…” was the message given by master Sanket Munyal who coordinated the first part of the programme. The evening ended with the prize distribution and the vote of thanks.

Oct - Dec 2017

Youth Day at Parra

Don Bosco Parra celebrated Youth Day for the neighbouring youth on November 25, 2017 on the occasion of the feast of Mama Margaret, the mother of Don Bosco. Keeping in mind the theme, “Family, Cradle of our Life”, Fr. Anisio Mota emphasized to the youth the need to be active members in the family telling them that it was their duty to pass on the values inculcated by their parents. He encouraged them to remember Mama Margaret who had played a very important role as a parent and the values that Don Bosco had learnt from her.

The day was well organized by Fr Francis Britto who made it interesting for the 160 youth filled with many games and competitions. He was assisted in the various activities by the lay collaborators. The highlights of the day included creative nail painting, hair styling, song and dance items by talented youth as well as adventurous games. The relay events and balloon games stole the show. The day ended on a high note with prizes and snacks being distributed to all the participants.

Science Fair 2017 at Oros

The two days Science Exhibition with the theme “Save Planet Earth” was hosted by Don Bosco High School and Junior College, Oros on November 10-11, 2017. The event saw young enthusiastic participants from different schools and colleges putting up 15 participatory exhibits comprising of innovative working models and investigation based projects. The programme was inaugurated by Mr. Satish Naik.

This exhibition was one of its kind. The exhibits on various topics related to Green Energy, Innovation in Transport, Communication, Agriculture, Technology, Bio-diversity, Community Health, Environment & Mathematical Modeling, by different schools were indeed eye opener to all viewers. With an endeavor to promote scientific attitude among budding young students this event was organized.

The best schools were awarded certificates and mementos. All the participants were presented with participation certificates. Aadit Khanolkar and Kunal Sawant of Don Bosco High School & Junior College, Oros won the first prize for their project – “Bio-gas Plant”. The winners of the College section were the students of Pushpasen College, Oros. The judges applauded the students for their novel ideas.

SANGATI

59

SALESIAN

SOUTH ASIA NEWS

Salesian Aid Starts to Bear Fruit in Nepal

Salesians have been present in Nepal since 1992. First with the start of a center in Dharan, in the East of the country, then Sirsia (1996), Kathmandu, Baroul and Chakkarghatty ( 2014) and, finally, Biratnagar (2017). Undoubtedly, the most difficult moment was the double earthquake of 2015 which devastated the capital and caused more than 8,800 deaths, and destroyed homes, schools and hospitals.

Salesian aid in Nepal has reached over 1,500 children and young people who will be returning to school in the coming months, children who will have the opportunity to inaugurate new classrooms, desks and blackboards. And all this help and support is given precisely when the presence of Salesians in this country celebrates its first quarter century: 25 years of continuous educational service.

Currently, Salesians are at work for the reconstruction of the country. To date, ten schools have been built and equipped in small villages in the Kathmandu valley. Some Salesian NGOs are currently helping in the supply of school materials, in building near places where drinking water is accessible, and - importantly - in training teachers in order to offer children quality education.

Paco Nadal, a journalist for the Spanish newspaper ‘’El Pais’’, wrote: ‘’Nepal is a country that after the double earthquake of 2015 is suffering another catastrophe: oblivion.’’ For many, this may be true, but the Salesians have not forgotten anyone; indeed, they continue to support those in difficulty, continue to build, to educate the generations that will make a new country possible.

DB India Forges Green Alliance Salesian delegates meeting for the 2017 Annual Provincial Development Official (PDO) meet in AIDA, Dimapur on November 30 and December 1, 2017 agreed to partner with four flagship programmes at the national level that focus on climate change, child rights, aiding stakeholders to make sustainable livelihoods and women empowerment programmes.

Don Bosco Yerwada goes SOLAR

Don Bosco Junior College, Yerwada switched to clean energy generation using solar electrification and a 31 Kilowatt solar plant, to power fans, air conditioners, lights, water pumps and computers at the institution on December 5, 2017. The solar plant designed, delivered and installed

by ONP Solar, is based on GridTie technology, which doesn’t use batteries. The plant has a capacity to light up 31 homes with one KW. The plant consists of 96 unit high standard Tier-1 international brand solar photovoltaic panels coupled with a 25KW GridTie Solar inverter.

It will be saving 40 tonnes of carbon emission in a year. The excess power generated during weekends and holidays will be exported to a MSEB Grid. The initiative is aimed at making the institute adopt environment-friendly systems and to reduce the use of power from the grid. Electricity generation is the institutions way of reducing global warming and achieving a ‘zero energy’ status in the next couple of months.

Mother Teresa Memorial Award for Fr Tom

Fr Tom Uzhunnalil, a Salesian from the Province of Bangalore abducted in Aden in March 2016 and released in September 2017 is awarded the Mother Teresa Memorial Award 2017 for Social Justice by the Harmony Foundation on 10th December, 2017 at the J W Marriott hotel, Sahar, Mumbai, India. He was chosen ‘’for the inspiring example of compassionate humanity, and for having continued to work for the elders of the Missionaries of Charity in Yemen, despite having had the opportunity to leave the country. We praise Fr Tom’s dedication and commitment for work in a location of great danger, where his colleagues were murdered in cold blood,’’ said the foundation in a written statement.

60 SANGATI

Oct - Dec 2017

SALESIAN

WORLD NEWS

1868-2018: 150th anniversary of consecration of Basilica of Mary Help of Christians

On June 9, 1868, Don Bosco concluded the construction of the Basilica of Mary Help of Christians in Turin, officially inaugurating and consecrating it. A few months from now, 150 years shall have passed since that day. To celebrate, the Salesians of the Special Circumscription of Piedmont and Valle d’Aosta (ICP) have prepared a rich calendar of events starting Wednesday, December 6, events that are both religious and civil, the basilica being not only a Salesian asset, but one that is civic and universal.

In these 150 years the temple has undergone many changes: in Don Bosco’s time it was much smaller, almost half its current size. Internally, there have been many changes and, generally speaking, has gone from being a church in the style of Turin’s nineteenth century, one borne of poverty, to its modernday splendour. Its basic architectural structure, and the altarpiece of Mary Help of Christians, commissioned by Don Bosco to Tommaso Lorenzone, have remained unchanged.

Along with the Basilica, the neighborhood has also changed, from being an area that was initially peripheral, with problems due to inter-religious integration, to one that is multi-ethnic, now close to the historic center of Turin.

A prize-winning app to help homeless children, awarded by “Talento Digital”

Mission Appeal for Refugee Emergency in Uganda

A reality, that of the South Sudanese refugees in Uganda, involving thousands of people, mainly women and children, clearly caused by violence and injustice, alongside poverty and lack of respect for human rights: a situation that obviously requires a Salesian response. For this reason, the Councilor for Salesian Missions, Fr Guillermo Basañes, makes the following appeal to the Provinces and Vice Provinces of the Asia EastOceania region to send missionaries to serve and support the refugees in Northern Uganda.

“Itwillbe” is an NGO established in 2009 by Arancha Martínez, who created the app “PPa”, winner of the juryawarded prize from the “Talento Digital” platform in Spain. The purpose of PPa is to allow children to be identified and enable access to their clinical and social history based on biometric patterns: facial, digital and palm recognition. Its field of action is India; more specifically, where the Salesians are working.

The jury unanimously chose the “Itwillbe” application among the over 300 initiatives submitted to the competition. The decision was based on its “capacity to digitally transform the work of NGOs.”

Oct - Dec 2017

SANGATI

Poster of Rector Major’s Strenna 2018

61

CHURCH

WORLD NEWS

Pope Francis releases message for 2018 World Day of Vocations

Set Another Place at the Christmas Table for Someone in Need

Pope Francis on Monday released his message for the 2018 World Day of Prayer for Vocations, reflecting on the three aspects of every vocation: listening, discerning, and living.

The 55th recurrence of the Day for Vocations is to be commemorated next year on 22 April.

Pope’s Bangladesh Visit has Touched All

Pope Francis visited Myanmar, Nov. 27-30, after which he flew to neighbouring Bangladesh from where flew back to Rome on Dec. 3, 2017. The motto of the Nov. 30-Dec. 3 Bangladesh trip was “Harmony and Peace”.

Following the trip, Cardinal Patrick D’Rozario, Archbishop of Dhaka was exuberant and expressed gratitude to God, the Bangladesh government and the Vatican for the success of the papal visit. Both the nation and the Church, he said, are very happy with the outcome.

Men and women of goodwill across the world are invited to set another place at the Christmas table for someone in need.

Kicking off its annual campaign to offer Christmas lunch to the poor, to the homeless, to families in difficulty, the Rome-based Community of Sant’Egidio is asking for contributions – whatever they may amount to – in order to be able to offer a tangible sign of closeness and care to our brothers and sisters in need.

The Year of the Eucharist “to Live the Fullness of faith in Pakistan”

“Pakistani Christians have to face multiple challenges.

Every new day challenges increase, of a social, cultural and religious nature for the small community of faithful in Pakistan. In this framework, the Year of the Eucharist will be a source of fullness of life and joy”: says newly elected Archbishop Joseph Arshad, recently appointed by Pope Francis at the head of the Archdiocese of IslamabaRawalpindi, and president of the Episcopal Con fe re nce of Pakistan.

62 SANGATI

Oct - Dec 2017

Priestly Ordinations Dn Sredny Michael Antao, SDB Shrine of Our Lady of Fatima Don Bosco, Panjim, Goa 18 December 2017 | 3.30 pm Dn Melwin Ferrao, SDB Immaculate Conception Church, Mulki, Karnataka 28 December 2017 | 10.00 am Dn James D’Souza, SDB Our Lady of Lourdes Church, Mundalli, Bhatkal, Karnataka 29 December 2017 | 10.00 am To follow Don Bosco, Contact: Fr Joel D’Souza 9421117819 | Fr Austin Fernandes 9420906544 | Fr Kiran Nazareth 9765958832

Oct - Dec 2017

SANGATI

63